Build Request: Grav/dark

[Glowman]

Looking for Grav/dark. Anyone have a build I could look at?

[LynxNordique]

I don't know a thing about Gravity control, but I do know Dark affinity. 

 

Twilight grasp: 6 slots with 1 accuracy at least and 5 healing IO set of your choice (panacea is nice in here). If you don't need the 4th set bonus, you might include 1 tohit debuff (but, personnally, I usually prefer the 4th set bonus). Twilight grasp is important in the late game, with lots of AVs, more for its -regen and tohit debuff stacking than its healing habilities (which are awesome, btw).

 

Tar Patch: 3 slots with recharges: You want it available as much as possible for its - resistance. Slow mouvements are nice, but not required.

 

Darkest night: 2 or 3 slots. It's a VERY efficient - tohit power against AV, but it costs a lot of end. Personally, I prefer 2 Hamio end/tohit and defense debuff. If I can fit a third slot in that power, I go for a - tohit generic IO. If you can achieve the same thing with an IO set, go for it.

 

Shadow fall: 5 or 6 slot. 1 slot should be for a +7,5% recharge luck of the gambler. The rest could be for a resist damage IO set. I do like the Gladiator's Armor for the +3 points knockback resist IO set bonus. Maximize the end cost values and  the resist damages values of the IO set. Shadow fall is not only great for it's decent stealth, but also for its fear resistance.

 

Soul absorption: 5 or 6 slots. This. Power. is. AWESOME. Not only it's conceptually great, for a dark character, to feed off the living and dead mobs, but the + regen and + recovery buffs, while they don't last long, are REALLY good, even if you hit only one target. This is a power some team members will greatly appreciate. One acc is good. but make sure that, whether you go for generic IOs or IO sets, you have a very good recharge and end modification. 

 

Fade: 2 to 6 slots, depending on if you have slot to spare or not. It's an ok power. 1 slot should be for a +7,5% recharge luck of the gambler. For the rest, whatever gives you end reduction and resist damages or defense. 

 

Howling Twilight: Can be skipped, but it is always better to have it. Not only it rezzes the fallen allies, it allows you to stack stuns on bosses, if you have another stun in your primary. the -regen and -tohit is good in an AV fight as well. 1 or 2 slots is ok, I guess. 

 

Black Hole. Skip it. if you stack enough - to hit, you should be fine, anyway the vast majority of the time.

 

Dark Servant: 5 or 6 slots. You can't slot pet IOs (however, the DS is affected by the + resist or + defense proc slotted in other pets). You can slot for its control abilities and its debuffs. So I would suggest to slot it with -tohit, accurate -tohit, hold or immobilize IO sets; whatever gives you set bonuses that you might like. 
 

Edited December 10, 2021 by LynxNordique

[Nyghtmaire]

10 hours ago, LynxNordique said:

Howling Twilight: Can be skipped, but it is always better to have it. Not only it rezzes the fallen allies, it allows you to stack stuns on bosses, if you have another stun in your primary. the -regen and -tohit is good in an AV fight as well. 1 or 2 slots is ok, I guess. 

This is a massive -regen source. I lean to a mandatory power pick. The rez is secondary. 
 

For Dark Servant, Cloud Senses 4 slotted for recharge or 6 to add defense is my go-to. No matter what, the proc is gold. Goes off on everything. 
 

Overall, /dark is an amazing toolkit with all the best toys.

 

I’m leveling this very combo now, and am excited to read further comments. 

[subbacultchas]

Just got to point out that Fade and Shadowfall are both significant sources of Resistance, and most importantly Defense. Both go a VERY long way toward softcapping a build's defenses, and even offering a decent smattering of resistances. On Shadowfall you want def/res/end slotting, on Fade you want def/rech/res slotting. With both slotted well you are looking at ~20 defense to all, and 14-24 resistance to most except f/n/t. That's from two powers, before even messing with power pools or epics. Do not skip, do not underslot.

Edited December 17, 2021 by subbacultchas

[LynxNordique]

Well. this is the good thing about /dark; it gives you possible options. You can build up defense and resistance, you can rely more on -tohit or you can try to find a compromise between those aspects. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here. This is all damage mitigation; which is this secondary strenght.

 

On some setups you can spare more slots to the secondary, and, on other setups, you can be more limited.  Chosing the right alpha later on can fill some gaps too.

[subbacultchas]

This is true. I like pairing the def/res with the -tohit/dam. Can keep you near softcap without big investments in pools. But multiple ways to play them. I like making my squishies not squishy.