Is Lightning Field Useful?

[drgantz]

I made an Elec/Elec Scrapper and didn't think that Lightning Field did much damage.  Is it skippable?

[Wavicle]

I think some particular builds might be able to leverage it in Damage+Endurance Drain, but yes I believe it is skippable if you don't want it.

[Maelwys]

By itself it's a bit pants, but it takes a fair amount of procs and it can even be used as a decent survivability buff (make sure to stick at least a Power Transfer: Chance to Heal in it)

 

To put some numbers against it: 

+ Base damage of Lightning Field is 12.5123 damage every 2 seconds, or a little under 6.3 damage/second per target.

+ "Regular" slotting at level 50 (+Acc and +Dam and +EndRed) = roughly 12.5 damage/second per target.

+ With Procs and Incarnates (Armageddon Proc + Eradication Proc + Obliteration Proc + Acc/Dam HO + Armageddon Dam/End IO + Power Transfer Proc + Musculature Core Alpha Incarnate) = average of 36.29 damage/second per target.
 

The Power Transfer Proc returns 66.93 HP every time it activates. It can't activate more than once every 10 seconds, but each target hit by Lightning field has a seperate 26.32% chance to trigger that activation... so the more targets hit by Lightning Field, the more likely that you'll get healed. It works out at anywhere from +1.762 HP/sec -> +6.693 HP/sec (for comparison, unslotted "Grounded" gives about +5.58 HP/Sec).
 

Edited October 19, 2021 by Maelwys

[ZorkNemesis]

It doesn't have a taunt and is just a basic damage aura with a minor -end, not significant enough to make a difference.  It's pretty skippable, though it's not a bad place to three-slot Fury of the Gladiator for the -Res proc and some extra KB protection if you're airborne often.

[Omega Force]

For tanks and brutes, by damage per animation it is your best attack.  Toggle it on, then go after the toughest fool in the room.  By the time he's down, his flunkies are weakened to the point that you need fewer attacks to finish them off before moving to the next spawn.  I don't remember ever using it on scrappers, so the lack of an innate taunt would change the equation if you have to chase down runners.

[Without_Pause]

It can be helpful for primaries which are lacking in AoE. 

[Deuce Spade]

I don't like damage auras on any secondary without a taunt aura.  My regular attacks do more damage, so the mobs are likely to stay within range until I kill them.  Particularly on a primary without great AOE, the aura will knock a few into flee range before you get to them, and I hate chasing runners.  The exception is Ice Armor, as the slow and knockdown (from Ice Melee, if applicable) can make its damage aura work nicely.

[SomeGuy]

No, it is not skippable.

[Wavicle]

Just now, SomeGuy said:

No, it is not skippable.

On a Scrapper? Why not?

[SomeGuy]

On 10/19/2021 at 2:59 PM, Wavicle said:

On a Scrapper? Why not?

 

You're on a scrapper. You're "job", so to speak, is to do damage. And a PBAoE is normally the best damage E/PS you can get and it's an AOE. It's really good and cheap DPS.

 

I like cheap DPS. Lightning Field is cheap DPS. And it's an AOE. And always on. So it makes your single target DPS better too. It's a set-n-forget DPS button.

[DreadShinobi]

On 10/19/2021 at 1:59 PM, Wavicle said:

On a Scrapper? Why not?

 

It is damage without animation time.