Ice/MA - Sub Zero or sub par?

[Enku367]

So I love blasters and have used so many of the builds you all post here but I wanted to try my hand at it. I wanted something blasty but with a bit of blapping and decided on Ice/MA. 

 

I have cobbled together a rudimentary build from multitudes of the builds you all have made but I would love some tweaks and adjustments. So far I have got him to level 30ish and he is a blast (HA). Popping around slowing all the mobs tossing kicks and knocking people around with Ki Push. 

 

Let me know what you all think and buff on up my boy!

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.0.4.7
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Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Ice Blast
Secondary Power Set: Martial Combat
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Ice Bolt -- 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(48)
Level 1: Ki Push -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(7), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(7), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(9)
Level 2: Storm Kick -- Acc-I(A), KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(9), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(11), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(11), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(13), FrcFdb-Rechg%(48)
Level 4: Frost Breath -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(13), Artl-Dam/Rech(15), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(15), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(17), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(48)
Level 6: Reach for the Limit 
Level 8: Combat Jumping -- Ksm-ToHit+(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(17), Rct-ResDam%(19)
Level 10: Aim -- GssSynFr--Build%(A), RctRtc-Pcptn(45), RctRtc-ToHit(50)
Level 12: Ice Storm -- Artl-Dam/Rech(A), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(19), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(21), Rgn-Knock%(21), Ann-ResDeb%(23)
Level 14: Super Jump -- Jump-I(A)
Level 16: Dragon's Tail -- ScrDrv-Acc/Dmg(A), FrcFdb-Rechg%(23), ScrDrv-Dmg/EndRdx(25), ScrDrv-Dmg/Rchg(25), ScrDrv-Acc/Rchg(27), ScrDrv-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(27)
Level 18: Bitter Ice Blast -- SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsWrt-Dmg/Rchg(29), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(31), SprBlsWrt-Rchg/Dmg%(31), SprBlsWrt-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31)
Level 20: Reaction Time -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(33), PrfShf-EndMod/Rchg(33)
Level 22: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(33), RechRdx-I(39)
Level 24: Kick -- Acc-I(A)
Level 26: Bitter Freeze Ray -- SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg(A), SprWntBit-Dmg/Rchg(34), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(34), SprWntBit-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), SprWntBit-Rchg/SlowProc(36), SprWntBit-Dmg/EndRdx/Acc/Rchg(36)
Level 28: Tough -- GldArm-3defTpProc(A), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(42)
Level 30: Inner Will -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal(39)
Level 32: Blizzard -- Artl-Acc/Dam(A), Artl-Dam/End(36), Artl-Dam/Rech(37), Artl-Acc/Dam/Rech(37), Artl-Acc/Rech/Rng(37), Artl-End/Rech/Rng(39)
Level 35: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg(43), LucoftheG-Def(45), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(46)
Level 38: Burst of Speed -- SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(40), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(40), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(40), SprAvl-Rchg/KDProc(42)
Level 41: Scorpion Shield -- ShlWal-Def/EndRdx(A), ShlWal-Def(42), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(43), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(43)
Level 44: Eagles Claw -- KntCmb-Acc/Dmg(A), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx(45), KntCmb-Dmg/Rchg(50), KntCmb-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(50)
Level 47: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 49: Tactics -- ToHit-I(A)
Level 1: Defiance 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Swift -- Run-I(A)
Level 2: Hurdle -- Jump-I(A)
Level 2: Health -- NmnCnv-Regen/Rcvry+(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(46)
Level 2: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A), PrfShf-EndMod(46)
------------

[Enku367]

Don't have a screen shot of totals but he is sitting at almost 50% smashing and Lethal Def, 27 melee 35 ranged and 21 AoE def. Several resists sitting in the 20s.

[InvaderStych]

There is nothing "sub-par" about ****/Martial Combat.  The slow in Reaction Time is downright vicious, combining it with Ice/ should be extremely effective.

 

Huh, Artillery sets.  So that's where you folks get all that ranged defense.  Interesting. The real blaster experts should chime in, but I've been fine tuning my Fire/Martial blaster as it very quickly took over as my favorite toon so I'm going to give it a go.  Your build definitely rocks more defense than mine in terms of positional, but I basically considered m/r/aoe coincidental to chasing s/l/e (also using ScorpShield).  I know there's debate on such things, but /MC wants to be in melee range enough that I figured I'd go full bore for typed def.  It's good for me to look at a build coming from a different direction.  As primarily a melee player I had no idea how to build for ranged when I started my fire/mc.

 

Here's a few thoughts:

 

Hasten doesn't need 3 slots.  It's off-perma with 2 slots, but that doesn't really matter for /Martial as the FF's can help take up the slack and ***/MC is spoiled for choice with buttons to press as it is.  You can probably get away with 1 slot here; I am fairly sure there's a path to perma-hasten with only the default slot but other folks can post up and say for certain.  If not perma with 1 slot, near-as-makes-no-difference.  I chose to drop Hasten in the late 40s in order to retain Combat Teleport without dropping Leadership.

 

Storm Kick hits just fine without the extra accuracy enhancement.  5 slots there for the KC+FF and move that slot to Eagle's Claw. The 5pc Winter Melee set in EC (all but the hold proc) gets you more -rech resistance, better S/L def, and better enhancement values.

 

How is the -Res proc in your Rain treating you?  I went 5pcs of Ragnarok there for the +acc/+rech, and the Knockdown proc looks like it gets 2 chances in the duration?  Tactically I don't always use the rain, so -Res there never occurred to me.  Your build probably doesn't need the +def from the Artillery set here, and could also benefit from the +acc/+rech from the purple set instead.

 

Last thing that strikes me is the lack of KB protection.  Aside from leaning really heavily into Clarion is there something I'm missing?

 

Hope some of that was helpful, or at least semi-accurate. 🤣

Edited May 30, 2021 by InvaderStych
Hasten Commentary

[Enku367]

So far this is only theoretic build as I am only in the 30s so far. All feedback is awesome thank you. I can move some slots around. Probably want to keep 2 in hasten for some reason less than 2 just makes me anxious lol. So far I am loving /MC but I am not loving range of Dragon's tail so I wasn't sure if I should keep it round. 

 

I have also thought about KB Protection and was thinking of working Acrobatics in there some how but I wasnt sure which skill I should drop. Also as much as I love Ice/ I was thinking of switching to Water/. What do you all think?

[InvaderStych]

On 5/30/2021 at 12:04 PM, Enku367 said:

So far I am loving /MC but I am not loving range of Dragon's tail so I wasn't sure if I should keep it round. 

 

Yeah, it's radius is small.  I like it for the fast activating, fairly reliable KD though.  It's a good way to keep things in Rain of Fire for a few extra seconds.

 

On 5/30/2021 at 12:04 PM, Enku367 said:

I have also thought about KB Protection and was thinking of working Acrobatics in there some how but I wasnt sure which skill I should drop.

 

Well, fwiw, I went with 2@3pcs of Fury of the Gladiator (Burst of Speed and Dragon's Tail) for 6pts.  Plus the BotZ -KB piece in Combat Teleport and that gets to 10.

 

In terms of dropping a power - looks like you've got Breath and Storm.  I went either/or and kept Rain of Fire, Breath was too slow imo.  You might find some space there - especially with Hasten you'll have plenty of attacks.  I fiddled with Acrobatics early on while leveling the Fire/MC.  Decided to drop it in favor of other things.

 

On 5/30/2021 at 12:04 PM, Enku367 said:

Also as much as I love Ice/ I was thinking of switching to Water/. What do you all think?

 

Don't have enough experience with either to really say.  I have a stalled Ice/Time I'm going to eventually re-roll into a different AT and I've never played with Water.  Pretty sure the choice here is up to which one you have more fun with.  As understand the mechanics: Water is a more modern set with more variety in damage type and secondary effects and Ice is fast, hits pretty hard, and very classic.  Both stack slows onto Reaction Time, so yeah, Dealer's Choice as it were.

Edited June 2, 2021 by InvaderStych

[FUBARczar]

Freeze Ray >>> Bitter Freeze Ray

[FUBARczar]

I play something more like this for my Main which is Psi/Martial.  You can use barrier if you want but I normally Blapp without deaths on +4/8 and use mostly Rebirth, sometimes Ageless Radial.  Use KD, Repel, Stuns, Slows, Rains, etc to mitigate.  With a Resist Shield you'll take a lot less dmg when you do and when you team they'll be boosting your defense further usually with a couple maneuvers.   You can also Suggest Intuition Radial for your Alpha Incarnate slot.   Something to consider anyhow,,,

 

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