Secondary for Dark Blast

[Snarky]

I am thinking pretty seriously about running a Vampire Blaster.  To me this means Dark Blast.  i love Dark Powers, not in love with PB T9 but I am at least getting comfortable with the tactic.

 

What secondary pairs well with Dark? Important Info:  I take no melee attacks, just not my style.

 

Darkness Manipulation is natural, but I look at the targeted sustain versus something like cold or temporals "it's just on" and am like....hmmmm.  Soul Drain is nice...but it is a 2.37 second animation and you are trying to be at PB range...?  10 radius...

 

I like Mental Manipulation.  Adding another cone and a PBAoE attack is nice.  Exotic damage type, nice.  Clunky PBAoE sustain, at least the animation is only 1.33 sec

 

Temporal Manipulation.  Modern set.  No need to be at Point Blank Range.   has a ST hold, a great sustain, +global recharge power.  The automatic transmission in the choices.   

 

Since I am running a toon for style it is hard for me to consider certain sets.  Tactical Arrow may be off the hook but is tough for me to fit into my style.  Honestly I would not consider Darkness Manipulation except I really want it to work.  Like, is there a way to make that set compete with the ease of Temporal Manipulation?  Maybe set bonuses and slotting will be the key.  Certain sets look great and then you get into MiDs and cannot quite cram the build goals on because the powers are not 'right'

 

Oh, so, build goals.  i tend to go for high ranged defense and take a swing at AoE and maybe S/L defense (usaally does not happen)  The sets I like tend to have a ton of energy/neg defense though.  I like a lot of to hit bonuses and high global recharge as well.

 

I am thinking Soul Mastery for the Epic Patron Pool.  It seems the only thematic choice and I am one of the rare birds who loves cones.  I have a Dark/Mental/Soul that I have run to about 45 and like.  Definitely a contender.

 

Any feedback is appreciated.  Thanks

[Enku367]

I am thinking Temp would be my choice. I really like all the little things it gives. You could also do Water blast and recolor it red. That might be thematic for a vampire. 

[Vulpoid]

My vampire Camilla Bathory is a Water/Willpower Sentinel, re-coloured red...

 

[Snarky]

2 hours ago, Vulpoid said:

My vampire Camilla Bathory is a Water/Willpower Sentinel, re-coloured red...

 

That is a well done character.

[star_fury_lives]

2 hours ago, Vulpoid said:

My vampire Camilla Bathory is a Water/Willpower Sentinel, re-coloured red...

 

That is such a cool vampire costume!

[InvaderStych]

Could we get a few more specifics about your Vampire?

 

e.g. ...

 

... if I was going for the "High-Class Elder, Council of Evil, Several Hundred Years Old, Turned in Middle Age or Older" type I'd go with something like /Dark, /Time, /Ice (select powers only for ice).

 

Or if I was going for the "Turned before middle age, physically fit, stunner, any number of years old" type I'd be incline towards something more kinetic and blappy (which I guess isn't in line with your ranged goals ..) and perhaps even off the wall like /Ninja or (at the risk of sounding like a broken record) /Martial. 

 

Unsettling/Spooky Child wants to be /Mental, all the way ....

 

Classic Nosferatu/monstrous types ... hmm... back to the same sets for the Elders I suppose?

 

I'm sure there are more.  Either way, as I implied in your other thread if sustained fun-time is the key, then enjoying the powerset combo is more important than the build options.  Everything has build options. 😄

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, InvaderStych said:

Classic Nosferatu/monstrous types ... hmm... back to the same sets for the Elders I suppose?

 

I'm sure there are more.  Either way, as I implied in your other thread if sustained fun-time is the key, then enjoying the powerset combo is more important than the build options.  Everything has build options. 😄

I did not want to go Dark/Dark.  Was not sure it would work well at high levels.  But I have been experimenting with Blasters for a while now.  Pulled an unslotted and mostly incarnated 50 Dark Dark off the back pages of my roster and rebuilt them from the ground up this morning.  

 

Then i joined a friend Tank in an AE and we had a bunch of 'friendly doorsitters'  I hover blasted on the carnie map and jousted in for T9 Blackstar and Void Core (PbAoE) Final Judgement.  Went at it about an hour.  there were mistakes.  There were deaths.  Friendly TP to the door and back into the fight.  Nice that part i must say.

 

But i learned some things.  Even though I slotted Touch of the Beyond for End Recovery (+88%) when hover blasting hard this thing eats end at a good clip.  It is VERY nice to have Dark Consumption.

 

 Learned to Use Dark Pit when I wanted to go in or had drew a ton of personal agro to disorient a few and debuff tohit (Absol Amaze proc)  20' radius ranged attack.  

 

That ranged Heal attack Life Drain is gold in long tough fights.  It will not save you from a stupid alpha, but it will pull your butt out of any other trouble.

 

The 4 cones I have, 2 from Dark and 2 from Soul....I love.  Some love cones, some hate.  I have always liked.  But with 4 similar cones?  Fuggedaboutit.  You do not need to line up and aim each cone.  You get in position and start a fire hose, slightly adjusting as you go.  Sure, every drop of water out of the hose you cannot plan. But with a constant stream you are going to get it going in the right direction.

 

Touch of the beyond has a Mag2 Fear effect.  i honestly never noticed this.  This is 1) just fun, 2) sometimes useful  

 

I have the Moonbeam snipe slotted with a full set of Experienced Marksman, so the Snipe is always insta.  Not sure if other Blasters like this.  I do for long fights.  I wish I could toggle it off once in a while for style, but overall i like.  

 

It is important sometimes to NOT try to take the time to saturate Soul Drain if you are not 98% sure you can get away with it.  Just aim and nuke and run.  Soul Drain is very good but has to be used clever or you face plant.  Did I mention I really liked the TP to the door crew?  They even dropped inspirations on me before I headed back in.  Love a good pit stop.

 

That is the bulk of what I learned over the course of the hour.  Oh, and that it is a way more intensive battle setup than the Ice/Ice/Cold I have been running.  To me anyways, quite a bit more work.

 

It comes down to this, as InvaderStych said, enjoying the powerset is more important than the build options.  Not sure if he/she meant it in exactly this way.  But what I take that to mean is run what works and makes the toon you are creating.  Then you will enjoy it.  As far as build options, they are infinite.  I love Ice/Ice.  it just does not work here.  There are things I love about this Dark/Dark already.  Other things....Well, i need to practice a bit.  Not sure if it is more end heavy than my ice/ice but it feels that way.  But there is options to solve that, just gotta keep working the gears.  Ice/Ice = automatic transmission.  Dark/Dark 3 stick double clutched monster.  But Dark/Dark makes me very happy for this concept.  Heck, I may even learn to love the PB...no, nvm, I wont.  But i will get good with it.  Can a get another TP to the door?

[Snarky]

My current build:

 

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 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Dark Blast
Secondary Power Set: Darkness Manipulation
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Concealment
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Dark Blast -- SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBrr-Dmg/Rchg(3), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(3), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(5), SprDfnBrr-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprDfnBrr-Rchg/+Status Protect(7)
Level 1: Penumbral Grasp -- GrvAnc-Hold%(A)
Level 2: Gloom -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(7), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(9), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(9), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(11), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(11)
Level 4: Umbral Torrent -- Bmbdmt-Dam(A), Bmbdmt-Acc/Rech/End(13), Bmbdmt-Dam/Rech(13), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech(15), Bmbdmt-Acc/Dam/Rech/End(15), SuddAcc--KB/+KD(17)
Level 6: Aim -- GssSynFr--ToHit(A), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg(17), GssSynFr--ToHit/Rchg/EndRdx(19), GssSynFr--Rchg/EndRdx(19), GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(21), GssSynFr--Build%(21)
Level 8: Moonbeam -- ExpMarks-Dmg/End/Int(A), ExpMarks-Acc/End/Rech(23), ExpMarks-Rng/FSnp(23), ExpMarks-Acc/Dmg(25), ExpMarks-Dmg/Rech(25), ExpMarks-Dmg/Int/Rng/Rech(27)
Level 10: Fly -- BlsoftheZ-ResKB(A)
Level 12: Tenebrous Tentacles -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(27), Artl-Dam/Rech(29), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(29), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(31), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(31)
Level 14: Stealth -- Ksm-ToHit+(A)
Level 16: Soul Drain -- SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(31), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(33), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(33), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(33), SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(34)
Level 18: Abyssal Gaze -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(34), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(34), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(36)
Level 20: Touch of the Beyond -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(40), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc(50), PrfShf-EndMod/Acc/Rchg(50)
Level 22: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(37)
Level 24: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 26: Life Drain -- Thn-Acc/Dmg(A), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Thn-Dmg/Rchg(37), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 28: Dark Consumption -- ClvBlo-Acc/Dmg(A), ClvBlo-Dmg/Rchg(40), ClvBlo-Acc/Rchg(50)
Level 30: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 32: Blackstar -- SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsWrt-Dmg/Rchg(40), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(42), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(42), SprBlsWrt-Rchg/Dmg%(43)
Level 35: Night Fall -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(43), Artl-Dam/Rech(43), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(45), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(45), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(45)
Level 38: Dark Embrace -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(46)
Level 41: Soul Tentacles -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(46), Artl-Dam/Rech(46), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(48), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(48), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(48)
Level 44: Soul Storm -- Apc-Dam%(A)
Level 47: Dark Pit -- AbsAmz-ToHitDeb%(A)
Level 49: Tactics -- RctRtc-Pcptn(A)
Level 1: Brawl -- Acc-I(A)
Level 1: Defiance 
Level 1: Sprint -- Clr-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Flight-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 49: Quick Form 
------------

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[KelvinKole]

I have a dark/martial that’s super fun. I think you could bend it to fit your theme. Kai push is one of the coolest powers in the game and could be perceived as a some kind of dark force. The kicks are generic and decent and I assume vampires can be well trained hand to hand combatants. 
 

Since vampires can also be fast, the real winner is burst of speed.  Hit your cones from range, and then port in with BoS for black star. Reaction time is great and again you’re just faster than everyone else. Inner Will is great also and since you have superior mental and physical conditioning you can break out of control effects easily. 

[txdragoon]

On 5/30/2021 at 5:36 AM, Vulpoid said:

My vampire Camilla Bathory is a Water/Willpower Sentinel, re-coloured red...

 

Ha I used the same name at one point on Excelsior. Semi-obscure vamp character fans unite. Yours looks amazingly better than mine.