Help with Rad/Rad

[NemeanLion]

So, I have a Rad/Rad Brute who's 43 now. Despite so many on these forums saying Rad Melee is overtuned and Rad Armor is so great, I can't help but feel...unimpressed with the combo as a whole.

 

Rad Armor feels feel squishy to me. Even with all my toggles running, my absorb shield, and the AoE heal, I find myself eating dirt on +0/x3 missions and I know I shouldn't be this easy to kill.

 

Rad Melee...seems inconsistent to me. I know it's whole gimmick is the Contamination debuff. Cool, I understand that, but when I hit Contaminated targets, there's supposed to be a big AoE boom...where's the boom? There is no boom most of the time, so it seems like it's entire mechanic doesn't even freakin' work. Add to that Proton Sweep or whatever it's called is just piss-poor performance, Radiation Siphon is weak damage and a very small, unreliable heal-over-time, Devastating Blow has possibly the longest windup in the game, and our ground-pound PBAoE smash has the tiniest radius in the world...it's hard for me to see what everybody is flipping their lid over. Rad Melee sucks, from what I can tell.

 

Please, forum gurus...educate me or direct me to a better combo. Losing hope and motivation here. :(

[Rylas]

1) Before anything else, we'd need to see what your build looks like that you're currently running with.

 

2) Contamination doesn't have a "boom". When you use Contaminated Strike, Radioactive Smash, or Devastating Blow on a contaminated target, it allows a portion of their damage to also hit nearby foes. You'll see more orange numbers pop up, but no "boom."

[NemeanLion]

Ok, the "boom" I was referring to was those extra orange numbers. I know there's no visual or audio effect. Thing is, I'm not seeing those extra numbers. More than just not noticing them, I'll smack a contaminated target with one of the aforementioned attacks, and adjacent mobs remain unscathed, so it seems to me like it's not doing what it's supposed to do.

 

As for my build...I don't have MIDS or PINE or whatever, so bear with me here...

 

Contaminated Strike: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 1xRchRdx

Radioactive Smash: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 2xRchRdx

Proton Sweep: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 1xEndRdx

Fusion: 1xRchRdx

Radiation Siphon: 1xACC, 2xDMG, 3xHeal

Irradiated Ground: 1xEndRdx, Achilles' Heel: Chance for Resistance Debuff, Fury of the Gladiator: Chance for -Res

Devastating Blow: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 1xRchRdx, 1xEndRdx

Atom Smasher: 1xACC, 3xDMG, 1xRchRdx, 1xEndRdx

 

Alpha Barrier: 3xDmgRst

Gamma Boost: 1xHeal, 1xEndMod, Miracle: +Recovery

Proton Armor: 3xDmgRst

Fallout Shelter: 1xDmgRst

Radiation Therapy: 2xHeal, 2xRchRdx

Beta Decay: 1xEndRdx, 2xDefDebuff

Particle Shielding: 3xHeal, 2xRchRdx

Ground Zero: 1xACC, 2xDMG, 2xRchRdx

Meltdown: 2xDmgRst, 2xRchRdx

 

Health: Panacea: Chance for +Hit Points/Endurance

Stamina: 3xEndMod, Performance Shifter: Chance for +Endurance

 

All my enhancements are level 25 or higher IOs

[Erratic1]

I have both two characters with Radiation Melee (Rad/Fire Brute and Rad/ Shield Scrapper) and one with Radiation Armor (Rad/Psi Tanker). So my experience of Radiation as offense and defense will be different.

 

I noticed I do not always see the orange numbers over other enemies but I quite often do and seem to recall when looking at the combat display something which makes me think the application of splash damage makes a to-hit check. For the longest time I saw very few on the Brute. I had been running Endurance Reduction Enhancements in it but swapped to Defense Debuff and started seeing more hits, which leans to there being a To-Hit check. Based on that experience, when I made the scrapper last Friday I made sure to slot for Defense Debuff as soon as I could and regularly see the splash damage. According to your build, you only have one enhancement which is modifying the base debuff. You might try adding slots to that end. (Edit: See you have a chunk in Beta Decay, so not sure why you would be missing the splash damage.)

 

I have had no survivability problems on the Tanker. Admittedly Tankers start at higher resistance values. A quick comparison to other set's resistance values does not suggest Radiation Armor should be particularly squishy.

[Rylas]

I have both two characters with Radiation Melee (Rad/Fire Brute and Rad/ Shield Scrapper) and one with Radiation Armor (Rad/Psi Tanker). So my experience of Radiation as offense and defense will be different.

 

I noticed I do not always see the orange numbers over other enemies but I quite often do and seem to recall when looking at the combat display something which makes me think the application of splash damage makes a to-hit check. For the longest time I saw very few on the Brute. I had been running Endurance Reduction Enhancements in it but swapped to Ddefense Debuff and started seeing more hits, which leans to there being a To-Hit check. Based on that experience, when I made the scrapper last Friday I made sure to slot for Defense Debuff as soon as I could and regularly see the splash damage. According to your build, you only have one enhancement which is modifying the base debuff. You might try adding slots to that end.

 

If that's the case, it would be good to hear some input from someone who knows more precisely how the mechanic is suppose to work. Slotting for Defense Debuff doesn't sound like it should have any better effect than slotting for accuracy, and OP's build has acc slotted.

 

My experience with Rad Melee has been pretty good. Before getting Irradiated Ground I was already seeing additional damage numbers pop up. So I can say for sure numbers I saw in the early levels were from Contaminated damage.

 

OP, have you been watching the combat log to see if Contaminated targets hit nearby foes for damage?

[NemeanLion]

I have not been checking the combat logs, no.

[Erratic1]

I will try to do some testing/logging tonight if no resolution is had before I head home.

 

Okay, home now and here is a portion of a chatlog demonstrating what I was talking about (I have removed them hitting me and Blazing Aura damage):

 

2019-06-03 17:56:15 You activated the Atom Smasher power.

2019-06-03 17:56:15 Readying Atom Smasher.

2019-06-03 17:56:17 HIT Conscript! Your Atom Smasher power had a 95.00% chance to hit, you rolled a 77.33.

2019-06-03 17:56:17 HIT Headman! Your Atom Smasher power had a 95.00% chance to hit, you rolled a 24.25.

2019-06-03 17:56:17 You contaminate Headman with your Atom Smasher for 25.73 points of Energy damage and reduce their defense!

2019-06-03 17:56:17 You irradiate Headman with your Atom Smasher for 77.2 points of Toxic damage!

2019-06-03 17:56:17 You contaminate Headman!

2019-06-03 17:56:17 You contaminate Conscript with your Atom Smasher for 25.73 points of Energy damage and reduce their defense!

2019-06-03 17:56:17 You irradiate Conscript with your Atom Smasher for 77.2 points of Toxic damage!

2019-06-03 17:56:18 Atom Smasher is still recharging.

2019-06-03 17:56:18 You activated the Radiation Siphon power.

2019-06-03 17:56:20 HIT Conscript! Your Radiation Siphon power had a 95.00% chance to hit, you rolled a 41.86.

2019-06-03 17:56:20 HIT Headman! Your Radiation Siphon power had a 95.00% chance to hit, you rolled a 71.87.

2019-06-03 17:56:20 You clobber Headman with your Radiation Siphon for 35.48 points of Smashing damage and reduce their defense!

2019-06-03 17:56:20 You contaminate Headman with your Radiation Siphon for 106.46 points of Energy damage!

2019-06-03 17:56:20 Your Radiation Siphon heals you for 82.74 points of health.

2019-06-03 17:56:20 You contaminate Headman with your Radiation Siphon for 28.38 points of Toxic damage!

2019-06-03 17:56:20 Your absorb the radioactive contamination from Headman!

2019-06-03 17:56:20 You contaminate Conscript with your Radiation Siphon for 28.38 points of Toxic damage!

 

Using Atom Smasher I contaminate both a Rikti Headman and a Rikti Conscript. I then follow that up by using Radiation Siphon on the Headman. But the log shows a HIT check on both.

 

On the squishiness front, what values are you seeing for your resistances?

 

This is what I have on my Tanker:

 

 

[NemeanLion]

I...don't know how to pull up that window that shows your totals.

[Erratic1]

Powers on the tray, then Combat Attributes on top of the window that appears (can see it in the image I posted).

[Wolf Bonne]

Don't have much to add, I'd at least grab Tough, that may put a nice oomph in your step, it was the first thing I went for. Fusion should have at least one more recharge in it cuz it's the thing that'll make your heal more reliable and pump out more damage. Fusion is essentially a guaranteed heal if your hits land. I'd also maybe put an accuracy into Radiation Therapy to make it more consistent.

[Rylas]

Don't have much to add, I'd at least grab Tough, that may put a nice oomph in your step, it was the first thing I went for. Fusion should have at least one more recharge in it cuz it's the thing that'll make your heal more reliable and pump out more damage. Fusion is essentially a guaranteed heal if your hits land. I'd also maybe put an accuracy into Radiation Therapy to make it more consistent.

 

I think relying on Siphon Radiation as a heal isn't the best way to go. A helpful one when it lands? Yes. One you *rely* on? No. If you run into sudden burst damage that's over taking your mitigation, then you're not only relying on a to-hit check for your heal, you're also relying on Fusion being up so you can first set up needed condition for Contamination. That means you're relying on 3 powers before you heal yourself. Fusion, [attack to contaminate], and then Siphon Radiation landing a hit.

 

SR works much better when treated as a single target attack.

[Wolf Bonne]

I wouldn't rely on it, no, it makes it more reliable to weave between your other forms of mitigation to keep you topped or to set up for when you anticipate taking a big hit from an elite boss or arch-villain, what have you. It's allowed me to duo AVs from level 20 with a Rad/Rad Corrupter by my side for leveling. Not a big claim, but the heal has been the thing that has given me the edge as I've learned to utilize it better. Otherwise, yeah, it's best as a normal attack when you know you're relatively safe.

 

Edit: To add a bit more for the OP, though, Fusion is a key ability and you will want it up as often as possible since it's a heckuva lot more powerful than a normal Build Up ability as it allows you to reliably apply and maintain the debuff for more AoE damage. I do not know if it's best to just pop it anytime it's up, in groups I do this and I never worry about it or RS (for the heal), solo and in smaller groups, though, I will hold onto Fusion if an enemy has the debuff on them in some cases. I'd say that, to an extent, Radiation Melee is a bit of a wonky primary to pair with Radiation Armor due to the lack of better CC, but the gameplay of it is, I find, nuanced and highly optimizable. And a bit reliant on luck.

 

Oh yeah, I'd maybe grab hasten as well if you don't have it or wasn't planning to pick it up, that'll also bump up your survivability.

[Rylas]

Edit: To add a bit more for the OP, though, Fusion is a key ability and you will want it up as often as possible since...

 

Couldn't agree more. Fusion + Atom Smasher is a great way to start off a mob. Contamination everywhere along with the defense debuff. I feel like I burn through whole groups quickly because of it. I save regular Build Up powers for later levels but Fusion is worth picking up earlier in my opinion.

[Vulpoid]

I would suggest 2 ACC, 3 DAM, 1 END in the attacks. Get rid of the recharge reductions.

You have enough attacks that something should always be ready, you don't need them up any faster.

2 accuracies are going to get you those orange numbers because you will hit more often!

[Gulbasaur]

There are two (slightly expensive) resistance enhancements that give you +3 defence each. With combat jumping or hover and weave, you hit about 12% on your own. While this isn't amazing alone it pairs really well with the -ToHit from your taunt aura (beta decay?) and the extra defence makes a huge difference to survivability.

 

Contamination is... an unreliable bonus feature and you can't rely on it. Fusion then atom smasher is a great way to start off, but if fusion isn't up it's hit and miss.

 

Rad/rad has a lot of self and team sustain. Endurance is not a problem and you have two good but slightly unreliable heals. You have average resistance, but because you have three powers that give you more endurance you can run loads of toggles so it's worth hitting the pool powers good and hard.

[Doc Spectre]

I had some issues too, in the end I picked up tough and weave and hasten, dropped the siphon attack. I use the first two attacks from Rad with the quick animations and the last AoE. The other attacks I found took to long animating for my taste on a brute.

 

I also picked up Darkest Night from Ghost Widow pool and it has made a huge improvement, gloom is also pretty sweet.