DP/MC: How should I slot Dragon's Tail?

[Zhym]

I could use some advice slotting Dragon's Tail on my DP/MC blaster.  This is a toon I leveled the slow way, alternating red and blue (through alignment missions!) to do nearly all the story arcs on the way up.  Dragon's Tail was really useful early on as a melee control attack until I could get survivability through defense and resistance set bonuses.  So I six-slotted it and plugged in a full Force Feedback set to maximize its use for keeping mobs away.  Now he's a fully T4'd incarnate, and knocking his enemies back isn't quite as important (or, in teams, appreciated).  So I'm wondering if I should swap it out for something else—and if so, for what?  

 

These seem to be the most obvious options:

 

Set name	With 2 slotted	With 3 slotted	With 4 slotted	With 5 slotted	With 6 slotted
Force Feedback	7.5% Movement Speed	3% Pos/Neg Res 5% Mez Res	10% Regeneration	2.5% Damage	3.125% AoE Def 1.5625% Fire/Cold Def
Sudden Acceleration	7.5% Movement Speed	2.25% Endurance	2.5% Damage	2.25% Health	7.5% Recharge Time
Obliteration	2.25% Smash/Lethal Res 3.75% Mez Res	3% Damage	9% Accuracy	5% Recharge Time	3.75% Melee Def 1.875% Smash/Lethal Def
Armageddon	4% Recovery	6% Fire/Cold Res 10% Mez Res	15% Accuracy	10% Recharge Time	6% Toxic/Psi Res 10% Mez Res
Superior Avalanche	15% Slow Res	6% Fire/Cold Res 10% Mez Res	4% Recovery	5% Melee Def 2.5% Smash/Lethal Def	5% Fire/Cold Def 2.5% AoE Def
Overwhelming Force	12% Regeneration	3% Damage	1.5% Health	2.5% Pos/Neg Def 1.25% Ranged Def	Mag 4 Knockback Protection

 

I figure I'll keep FF +Recharge in one of the slots, which leaves me five slots for something else. 

 

Are any of these big improvements over FF?  I'm not sure I'd want to lose the damage boost by taking Armageddon or Superior Avalanche—or is that not really a big deal?  Overwhelming Force seems like a good option—damage and regen are a bit better than with FF, plus a bit of an HP boost, and a little more ranged defense wouldn't be bad.  But would Obliteration be better, since accuracy and recharge time are probably more important than regeneration and a bit more ranged defense? 

 

This toon isn't quite capped on ranged defense (40.2% with stealth toggled off); melee is 19.26%.  Damage bonus is currently 22.5% and accuracy is 1.52x.  Endurance isn't an issue (thanks, Reaction Time!).  (Sorry for not posting a MIDS build, but MIDS and I don't get along.)

 

 Any thoughts would be welcome.  Thanks!

[brasilgringo]

 

[FUBARczar]

If you don't need the defense from Avalanche or Eradication then go then you really only have two choices, Obliteration and Overwhelming force.  

 

But for a different look at these sets here is another build:

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.0.4.7
https://github.com/Reborn-Team/MidsReborn

Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Dual Pistols
Secondary Power Set: Martial Combat
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Power Pool: Speed
Ancillary Pool: Mace Mastery

Hero Profile:
------------
Level 1:    Pistols    
 (A) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
 (5) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
 (5) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance

Level 1:    Ki Push    
 (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage
 (9) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance
 (15) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Recharge
 (36) Kinetic Combat - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
 (43) Accuracy IO

Level 2:    Storm Kick    
 (A) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage
 (7) Superior Defiant Barrage - Damage/RechargeTime
 (7) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime
 (9) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
 (11) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
 (45) Superior Defiant Barrage - RechargeTime/+Status

Level 4:    Boxing    
 (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage

Level 6:    Swap Ammo    
Level 8:    Bullet Rain    
 (A) Artillery - Accuracy/Damage
 (19) Artillery - Accuracy/Recharge/Range
 (19) Artillery - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
 (21) Bombardment - Chance for Fire Damage
 (21) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
 (23) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown

Level 10:    Burst of Speed    
 (A) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage
 (11) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
 (13) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
 (13) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
 (15) Superior Avalanche - Recharge/Chance for Knockdown

Level 12:    Combat Jumping    
 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
 (17) Kismet - Accuracy +6%
 (43) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage

Level 14:    Tough    
 (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance
 (37) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance
 (39) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime
 (39) Unbreakable Guard - Endurance/RechargeTime
 (39) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
 (40) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)

Level 16:    Weave    
 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
 (40) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance
 (40) Shield Wall - Defense
 (42) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
 (42) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)

Level 18:    Executioner's Shot    
 (A) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage
 (25) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
 (27) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Recharge/Chance for Fire Damage
 (27) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative)
 (29) Gladiator's Javelin - Chance of Damage(Toxic)
 (29) Achilles' Heel - Chance for Res Debuff

Level 20:    Reaction Time    
 (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal
 (25) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb
 (36) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
 (37) Endurance Modification IO

Level 22:    Maneuvers    
 (A) Shield Wall - Endurance/Recharge
 (23) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
 (42) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance
 (43) Shield Wall - Defense
 (45) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 24:    Reach for the Limit    
Level 26:    Dragon's Tail    
 (A) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
 (31) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
 (31) Eradication - Chance for Energy Damage
 (31) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
 (33) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 28:    Inner Will    
 (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
 (33) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
 (37) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime

Level 30:    Hasten    
 (A) Recharge Reduction IO
 (47) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 32:    Hail of Bullets    
 (A) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
 (33) Eradication - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
 (34) Eradication - Damage/Recharge
 (34) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
 (34) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage
 (36) Fury of the Gladiator - Chance for Res Debuff

Level 35:    Scorpion Shield    
 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
 (46) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance
 (48) Shield Wall - Defense
 (48) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
 (48) Shield Wall - Endurance/Recharge

Level 38:    Assault    
 (A) Endurance Reduction IO

Level 41:    Eagles Claw    
 (A) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage
 (46) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
 (49) Superior Blistering Cold - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
 (49) Superior Blistering Cold - Damage/Endurance/Accuracy/RechargeTime
 (50) Superior Blistering Cold - Recharge/Chance for Hold
 (50) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage(Negative)

Level 44:    Super Jump    
 (A) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%)

Level 47:    Acrobatics    
 (A) Endurance Reduction IO

Level 49:    Vengeance    
 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed

Level 1:    Defiance    
Level 1:    Brawl    
 (A) Kinetic Combat - Accuracy/Damage

Level 1:    Sprint    
 (A) HamiO:Microfilament Exposure

Level 2:    Rest    
 (A) Empty

Level 2:    Swift    
 (A) Run Speed IO

Level 2:    Hurdle    
 (A) Jumping IO

Level 2:    Health    
 (A) Miracle - +Recovery
 (3) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery
 (3) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance

Level 2:    Stamina    
 (A) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
 (17) Performance Shifter - EndMod

Level 4:    Ninja Run    
Level 50:    Intuition Radial Paragon    
Level 6:    Chemical Ammunition    
Level 6:    Cryo Ammunition    
Level 6:    Incendiary Ammunition    
------------

 

 

 

[carnalchaos]

I personally love the teleport in and then dragon tail combo.  Fun, stylish, decent damage and if you ever drop down for the lower task forces a real viable combo and defensive power.  Any spot to squeeze in that FF+recharge proc is amazing too.  You can steal slots from it to optimize your build else where but I would keep it if you are doing lower level stuff.