Best for soloing Redside

[Snarky]

I regularly take a character and solo every Redside story arc.  I have always done this on a Brute.  I recently started on a Stalker, but I am finding i do not enjoy it. I was hoping to try this on a Blaster instead

 

Now i do this on easy mode.  +0/x1 with EBs not AVs.  Standard mission settings basically. I allow myself all I/O bonuses I can cram on as I level. I get four DFBs (usually by going rogue and stopping exp). Blue is easier to team. Same with DiB. The tough part is just doing all the content here

 

My question (finally…).  What are some really strong Blaster options for this type of project?  

 

The tough parts (that i see) are things like Mayhem Missions and a few EBs sprinkled throughout. I am planning on a stealth power for speeding where i can. But there are kill alls…. 
 

I am intrigued by the old AR/Dev builds.  There are entire books if strategies for setting up forts and kill zones with these things?   I have an old ghost concept for it based on R Lee Ermey’s character from The Frighteners

 

There must be a few really strong solo builds for doing this type of work?  Definitely out of my wheelhouse. I build for odd duck fire support team Blasters mostly

 

Thanks for any help and suggestions 

 

[Apparition]

Water/Temporal Blaster.  Water is really strong out of the gate, with a lot of mitigation in knockdowns and a self-heal.  Temporal is sturdy, with a good PBAoE attack and one of the best sustain powers, not to mention stun protection.

[plainguy]

AR Device if you go Range cap hover blaster works well. You can pick up Burnout and have 3 gun drones for a short time. 

DP Device fun now that they fixed gun drone aggro issue. You can get melee and range capped on this as you need it because of HOB being melee..

 

TRAPS anything will almost give you defense cap with SO..   Further with this you don't have to go so much easy mode.. 8/2 is doable or even 8/1 once you have your defense slotted 

 

 

[Elia87]

9 hours ago, Apparition said:

Water/Temporal Blaster.  Water is really strong out of the gate, with a lot of mitigation in knockdowns and a self-heal.  Temporal is sturdy, with a good PBAoE attack and one of the best sustain powers, not to mention stun protection.

I have a 50 water/time blaster.. how come my dmg seems pretty low? Is it my build or the pairing not good enough?

[Snarky]

2 hours ago, Elia87 said:

I have a 50 water/time blaster.. how come my dmg seems pretty low? Is it my build or the pairing not good enough?

You would need to post the build.  I have never played Water. (working on a concept now...) But Apparition is someone who probably knows a strong set....  Edit: Read closely above though.  Apparition said it is "strong out of the gate" with mitigation and a self heal.  That is not saying it competes with Fire for overall damage.  Again, I have never run water.  This advice request was specifically for a strong solo story arc, mayhems, etc character.  Not the strongest damage dealer

Edited July 23, 2021 by Snarky

[Erratic1]

I do not think I've ever tried Water on a Blaster before. Very happy with my Water/Kinetics Corruptor...might have to consider how I would go about things on a Blaster. But yeah, even on a Corruptor who gets healing from the other side, having a heal on the blasting side is nice. 

 

I have a long history of discarded Blasters and only ever got one to 50 on Homecoming when I finally went with Beam Rifle/Martial, but I am not suggesting that here. I am having a fair amount of fun with Fire/Dark, At the lower levels all Blasters get a wealth of attacks open to them and its mostly about burning things down quickly. Why Dark? I admit I had my eye on Dark Pit with visions of it making it easier to run up into groups of disoriented foes and setting off Inferno. But Touch of the Beyond was a surprise--it buffs Regen and Recovery for 2m! And not tiny buffs either. Its as much Recovery as full slotted Stamina and enough Regen that soloing a red con Chief Mentalist was somewhat humorous as he got his hold off but couldn't dent my health while I waited for the Hold to clear.

 

And the Dark Pit routine does work. With them stumbling around you even get to Soul Drain up your damage. My proof of concept, first attempt on safe targets:

 

 

Edit: I do have to wonder what you could do with Dark Pit, Whirlpool and Geyser though...

Edited July 23, 2021 by Erratic1

[Elia87]

1 hour ago, Erratic1 said:

I do not think I've ever tried Water on a Blaster before. Very happy with my Water/Kinetics Corruptor...might have to consider how I would go about things on a Blaster. But yeah, even on a Corruptor who gets healing from the other side, having a heal on the blasting side is nice. 

 

I have a long history of discarded Blasters and only ever got one to 50 on Homecoming when I finally went with Beam Rifle/Martial, but I am not suggesting that here. I am having a fair amount of fun with Fire/Dark, At the lower levels all Blasters get a wealth of attacks open to them and its mostly about burning things down quickly. Why Dark? I admit I had my eye on Dark Pit with visions of it making it easier to run up into groups of disoriented foes and setting off Inferno. But Touch of the Beyond was a surprise--it buffs Regen and Recovery for 2m! And not tiny buffs either. Its as much Recovery as full slotted Stamina and enough Regen that soloing a red con Chief Mentalist was somewhat humorous as he got his hold off but couldn't dent my health while I waited for the Hold to clear.

 

And the Dark Pit routine does work. With them stumbling around you even get to Soul Drain up your damage. My proof of concept, first attempt on safe targets:

 

 

 

Edit: I do have to wonder what you could do with Dark Pit, Whirlpool and Geyser though...

Fire/dark corr can do the same?

 

2 hours ago, Snarky said:

You would need to post the build.  I have never played Water. (working on a concept now...) But Apparition is someone who probably knows a strong set....  Edit: Read closely above though.  Apparition said it is "strong out of the gate" with mitigation and a self heal.  That is not saying it competes with Fire for overall damage.  Again, I have never run water.  This advice request was specifically for a strong solo story arc, mayhems, etc character.  Not the strongest damage dealer

Thanks Snarky, yea I had to reread that..but i love water/time! Full of tricks!

Will post later my build

Edited July 23, 2021 by Elia87

[Erratic1]

9 minutes ago, Elia87 said:

Fire/dark corr can do the same?

 

No, /Dark on Corruptor does not have Dark Pit. Doesn't have Touch From Beyond either. Its a significantly different powerset.

[InvaderStych]

15 hours ago, Snarky said:

The tough parts (that i see) are things like Mayhem Missions and a few EBs sprinkled throughout. I am planning on a stealth power for speeding where i can. But there are kill alls…. 

 

/Ninja might be interesting for this type of thing.  If stealth is a plan, might as well take one that gives a little damage boost to that opening nuke.  At least that's the theory behind the rad/nin I started.  Maybe not the "strongest" combination for the task, but an interesting toolkit to fiddle with. Any blaster primary is going to be more than enough for the kill alls at low to moderate difficulties.

[ScarySai]

Fire/mental will be the overall strongest based on its own capabilities.

 

Fire/fire won't really do much until you get burn + hot feet, and has more reliance on insps.

 

Beam/ta is also pretty strong early on and only gets better as it goes. It's also the only blaster where your whole toolkit encourages pure ranged play.

Edited July 25, 2021 by ScarySai

[Haijinx]

On 7/23/2021 at 11:03 AM, InvaderStych said:

 

/Ninja might be interesting for this type of thing.  If stealth is a plan, might as well take one that gives a little damage boost to that opening nuke.  At least that's the theory behind the rad/nin I started.  Maybe not the "strongest" combination for the task, but an interesting toolkit to fiddle with. Any blaster primary is going to be more than enough for the kill alls at low to moderate difficulties.

 

That's what I was thinking. 

 

I solo'd my stalker through all the Redside Arcs, and the sneaking ability was pretty useful. 

[Snarky]

I actually chose Dark/Dark and have started. This will be even slower than usual. Not only am i doing all Redside contacts story arcs and side missions but I am doing all Blueside badge missions and TFs. And locations badges etc. 

 

There were many great suggestions here and good feedback. Thank you everyone 

 

I chose Dark/Dark since this is my main’s build as well.  I want to become profiecient with timing, range, attack chains and just handling the character better. What better way than just playing it a lot?