What's The Optimal Solo Scrapper?

[SeraphimKensai]

I've never had an issue with mobs wandering off from my claws/stone scrapper. Maybe it's focus/shockwave, but in collaboration with mud pots, but they tend not to survive long enough to get away.

 

That said I'm leveling up an axe/bio scrapper currently, so I'll compare agro between them.

[aethereal]

Everyone is of course entitled to their personal opinions.  If a player really values a taunt aura, then they really value a taunt aura, and that's fine.

 

But, like, taunt auras aren't that big a deal.  I have leveled several Stalkers to 50 and several aura-less Scrappers to 50, and also some Brutes and Tankers and taunt-aura Scrappers, generally at high multipliers on team size, almost entirely solo, and it's just... not that big a deal.  Is it nice to have a taunt aura?  I guess.  There are a few enemies like Warwolves who run away a lot and they're frustrating.  For the most part, it's not very noticeable in play.

 

The constant chorus of a few players who come in to say that they absolutely need a taunt aura to consider playing a set sort of strikes me as like if I went to every thread on Stone Armor and Shield to say, "I find the aesthetics of Stone Armor/Shield objectionable and I will not use these armors."  Like, it's true.  And I'm certainly entitled to that opinion.  But it also feels pretty personal and not really worth trying to tell people millions of times about.

[lemming]

4 minutes ago, aethereal said:

Everyone is of course entitled to their personal opinions.  If a player really values a taunt aura, then they really value a taunt aura, and that's fine.

 

But, like, taunt auras aren't that big a deal. 

That's my feeling.  I have a bunch of scrappers and yea, occasional runners happen, but they just die tired.

[SomeGuy]

I had a RM/Stone scrapper I had to gut and shelve it cause of runners. It was bonkers. After the opener, whatever wasn't dead, would do it's best impersonation of Usain Bolt.

[StriderIV]

16 hours ago, Without_Pause said:

I think my answer for optimal solo Scrapper is Dark/shield. Note, I'm not saying it is the most fun, but just the most optimal. In terms of SR's lack of taunt aura, that's what ranged attacks and mezzes are for. Mobs don't run away if the are KDed or disoriented. 

Yeah, honestly DM/Shield just feels like it has no holes. Just solid across the board in every facet. Jack of all trades, master of some? 😂

[Erratic1]

On 12/9/2024 at 9:14 AM, Without_Pause said:

I think my answer for optimal solo Scrapper is Dark/shield. Note, I'm not saying it is the most fun, but just the most optimal. In terms of SR's lack of taunt aura, that's what ranged attacks and mezzes are for. Mobs don't run away if the are KDed or disoriented. 

 

It is a nice wedding of capabilities and weak spot cross-covering. The closest I can think of bringing similar to the table would be Claws/EA or Claws/Nin--the former being the more offensive of the two with the latter being the more survivable.

[Without_Pause]

2 hours ago, Erratic1 said:

 

It is a nice wedding of capabilities and weak spot cross-covering. The closest I can think of bringing similar to the table would be Claws/EA or Claws/Nin--the former being the more offensive of the two with the latter being the more survivable.

Maybe someday I will get past /nin being click heavier and get one to 50. I just feel like that ship has sailed. 

[biostem]

1 minute ago, Without_Pause said:

Maybe someday I will get past /nin being click heavier and get one to 50. I just feel like that ship has sailed. 

I suppose it's a matter of perspective, but I set the status-protection power to autofire, then only use the heal or +end power when needed.  Everything else is either a toggle, an auto power, or so situational that I don't consider it a normal part of my power rotation...

[Erratic1]

1 hour ago, Without_Pause said:

Maybe someday I will get past /nin being click heavier and get one to 50. I just feel like that ship has sailed. 

 

Not a personal criticism, but I honestly do not get how being able to click a power to address a need/situation is so onerous to so many. DM has a click Endurance recovery power, so does Nin. Nin adds a click-heal (DM's being part of its attack, so doesn't count). One whole extra click power and yet you'd think it was like playing Rachmaninoff on a piano.

Edited yesterday at 11:21 PM by Erratic1

[aethereal]

1 hour ago, Without_Pause said:

Maybe someday I will get past /nin being click heavier and get one to 50. I just feel like that ship has sailed. 

 

Let me throw this out there, not that I actually expect to change anyone's mind, but:

 

• If you're playing Homecoming at this point, you've probably got like 10 years+++ of City of Heroes under your belt.
• Homecoming drops like maybe one new piece of content per year if you're lucky
• What's everyone on, their 50th Scrapper?  More?
• You've done every mission in this game.  You've probably done most of them 10+ times.
• Are you sure that what you need is more simplicity in play?
• One understands the appeal of a set-and-forget armor when you're on your first, or fifth, armored class
• But aren't there a lot of you out there who'd like a play experience that is more engaged and thoughtful, not less?
• Clicky armors add a layer of tactical decision making that, for me, I became more and more appreciative of as I got more play experience

[biostem]

1 minute ago, aethereal said:

Clicky armors add a layer of tactical decision making that, for me, I became more and more appreciative of as I got more play experience

In general I agree, but with the caveat that the the clicks should be "organic" within the set, and not feel too forced.  For instance, imagine if ALL the powers with in a given armor set were clicks with set durations - so your basic shields, status protection, etc - It'd be a nightmare to manage, and the powers likely couldn't be given values high enough to offset that clunkyness...

[Spaghetti Betty]

20 minutes ago, biostem said:

In general I agree, but with the caveat that the the clicks should be "organic" within the set, and not feel too forced.  For instance, imagine if ALL the powers with in a given armor set were clicks with set durations - so your basic shields, status protection, etc - It'd be a nightmare to manage, and the powers likely couldn't be given values high enough to offset that clunkyness...

I'd play that!