How do you use your additional builds?

[JasperStone]

I was recently bitten by Snarky 😐

 

not literally but.........

 

Reading his posts about completing or being a completionist with certain characters pushed me to complete all Ouro arcs on my PB as a starting point. I am not including being a badger ..... only at about 856 right now

 

Initially it was painful, limited powers and all. My main build is Tri-form ....uh 6 aoe to play with 🙂 

Once I had nova I respecced a second build into Nova/Human for those lowerish levels. Taking SS to help stealth mission was a lovely choice.

The third build went to Dwarf/Human for those midish lvls. Again SS is lovely.

 

Obviously all three play and feel different.

 

On my other characters, except for my emp/elec getting a solo build, never really contemplated it.

Of course now I will, especially for those characters chasing completion type tasks.

 

How do you utilize your additional builds?

 

PS:  Just hit 30 lvl content in Ouro. Once done thru 50 ... I will still have redside to do  ... 😳

Edited December 28, 2021 by JasperStone

[Albion]

https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Multiple_Builds

Go to any trainer, the same ones you level up on, talk to them and choose "Select or rename your active build".
There you will find the three spots, you can give them a name (recommended as it avoids confusion) or select them to change to those, once you select the other two besides the one you are in now, which is usually selection 1, you get to level your char again, you keep primary and secondary powersets but you can swap the powers inside those, and everything else, then you distribute enhancement slots like in the usual leveling process, for all purposes you start at level one but have already everything unlocked that you have on your original build (and once you repeat the process it stays that way, only need to do it the first time)

And, since its a bitch having to go to a trainer all the time to switch between them, you can use the select build command.

select_build 1/2/3

Best way is to make one macro button for each so you switch at convenience
/macro namehere "select_build 1"
/macro namehere "select_build 2"
/macro namehere "select_build 3"

[A Cat]

I don't. I'm too poor to buy all this IO's again. 

[Placta]

1. My peacebringer has a human-only build that I run at levels where Light Form's going to have high uptime (won't be perma till 50, but it's still good with a few seconds' downtime) and a triform build for low levels where the the forms really help. I'm planning something similar for my warshade.

 

2. With my controllers I've used my second build for a solo build that focuses on damage (single-target immob and hold slotted for damage rather than mez, fighting pool attacks, buffed by Assault) and plays like a dominator wannabe. This gets abandoned once I get the pet(s) slotted up and can put the damage burden on them.

 

3. Someday I might make a level 50 build for my blaster but right now I'd rather send the inf to alts for their builds.

Edited December 28, 2021 by Placta

[Without_Pause]

I've done a number of builds using common IOs as I leveled and then using a second build for end game which almost has no common IOs at all. I can slot out a build with commons for a few million, so not much is lost. I can pop a respect if need be and store those commons for another character. I now do this with cheap uncommon IOs. Also, I am getting into situations some builds are just different if I'm doing content up to level 35 and then 35+. See a build taking an attack early on to make attacking easier, but said attack being dropped later. There is also the case where level 27 is a good switching spot for a build as various sets start being slotted at that level. I have a WS and Fort, but I honestly haven't played around with doing alt builds for them. The Fort is nearly done in terms of Incarnates, so I might only switch out two powers if I want to tweak the build. 

 

In short, build 1 is initial leveling, build two is 27-35 area, build 3 is end game. This can be done using the same build but with a respec. I can see using 2 builds in the end.

Edited December 28, 2021 by Without_Pause

[Greycat]

It really depends on the character and powersets.

 

Some of my Kheldians have triform and human only or biform builds.

 

VEATs? I'll alternate a bit. (Though that also has the annoying "forced respec at 24" when building up a second or third build.)

 

For some sets, especially support sets that are more team focused (Emp, FF) I'll have team and solo builds with different power selections.

 

Some I just use to mess around with other build ideas without doing a respec.

 

On live, I'd sometimes have PVE and PVP builds - not so much, now. Though you can build a farmer with a "farm" build and a "non farm" build.

 

It really varies.

Edited December 28, 2021 by Greycat

[Yomo Kimyata]

There's a cream for that (Snarky biting, that is).

 

I usually use multiple builds on support alts but only then.  A "solo" build and a "team" build that I update while I level.  Respecs are cheap and easy and are a lot cheaper and easier than making full alternate builds.

 

I can easily imagine having a exemplar build if you're a 50 and you spend a lot of time both at 50+ and at <40.

[Lazarillo]

I basically don't.  Only real exception, at least presently, is my Arachnos Widow, who has a Fortunata build and a Night Widow build.  I use the former primarily, but occasionally switch just for fun, or because I'm fighting something like Carnies where Psi attacks are...not useful.

 

I also have a Katana/Rad Brute who I was going to do a "high level" and "low level" build for (due to Katana being so late-blooming), but in practice, I don't play him nearly enough that that's ever become something worth investing in.

[Mezmera]

I will only do this with a few characters I really like.  My dom and tank have 3 builds.  My dom I take more serious so I have a teaming build with leadership that also exemps well so that I have perma dom at 25, I have a second build with Mass Hypnosis and Patron pets for soloing and if the team needs the mass sleep and my last build for my main high level content. 

 

My tank has a main tank everything build, a damage build and then a for fun build which she flies and shoots laser beams outta her eyes.  

 

Beyond your main if there's some specific things you'd like to have in your kit but can't fit into the first build then I can see having multiple builds but its rare.  If you play the character a lot sure options are always good but the money is usually better placed on a completely different AT entirely so you have that option for your team as well.  

 

Multiple build options is great.  If ever there were to be a revamp to pvp I'd like to have a 4th build accessible if they can make that happen.  

Edited December 28, 2021 by Mezmera

[Shenanigunner]

The only use I've ever found is for having both Squid and Human builds on a Kheld.

 

If anyone ever wanted an Emp healer, I'd probably dual-build one for solo and teaming. But.

 

Edited December 28, 2021 by Shenanigunner

[Veracor]

Build #1: General purpose tanking build with Leadership pool and Vengeance, IO sets for evening out Bio's holes and the recharge to make attack chains gapless with Vigor (so that a jousted Taunt into a mob can be used as an opener for maximum aggro across a spread out group without having to use the Taunt as a filler on the first Momentum break).  The build of choice for casual runs, itrials, and teaming, and also sees a lot of use in Aeon SF.

 

Build #2: Hami tanking build, capping S/L res and then focusing on just max HP and regen.  Minimal recharge and low DPS attack chain, has un-perma'd Hasten purely to speed up the initial taunting of yellow Mitos before the Mito taunters themselves get into position at the start of blooms.  Takes DNA Siphon, has multiple Power Transfer procs slotted, and also has Vengeance to slightly boost team 1's DPS when a Corruptor invariably facetanks the monster wall.

 

Build #3: Semi-speedy build with Teleport pool instead of Leadership, IO slotting for capped run/jump speed and ED range for Teleport.  Has Teleport Target to deal with the new disabling of Incandescence in Mo runs.  Sees use in MSRs as well, as Combat Teleport allows me to be lazy about cornerpulling without worry of being bodyblocked.  Set bonuses are a bit lackluster from build #1, and this build uses Spiritual when it needs to have no gaps in the Momentum break.  Switches to Cardiac/Intuition if skips require additional Teleport range.  Has a macro that switches the key used for Vengeance to Teleport Target.

 

It would be nice to be able to switch to a fourth build so that I can have one for low level content.  TW Tanker attack chains suuuuck when exemplared below 35.

[The_Warpact]

I don't do multiple builds, I just make new toons if it warrants it. Example I have a separate crab and bane toon.

 

 

4 hours ago, A Cat said:

I don't. I'm too poor to buy all this IO's again. 

Well thats what you get for being a poet at a commune, come to the dark side hippie we have money and can take a shower more than once a month. Quit buying ganja and shrooms!

Edited December 28, 2021 by The_Warpact
Boo boo

[Machariel]

I usually don’t, but on some characters I’ll have a build that has nothing but travel powers (fly w/afterburner) and stealth to zoom around maps collecting exploration badges.

[Vanden]

1 hour ago, The_Warpact said:

I don't do multiple builds, I just make new builds if it warrants it.

 

What does this mean

 

You're making my head spin

[Major_Decoy]

3 minutes ago, Vanden said:

 

What does this mean

 

You're making my head spin

I think it's a error, The_Warpact meant to say "I just make new characters if it warrants it"

[The_Warpact]

5 minutes ago, Vanden said:

 

What does this mean

 

You're making my head spin

 

1 minute ago, Major_Decoy said:

I think it's a error, The_Warpact meant to say "I just make new characters if it warrants it"

Yup

[Placta]

2 hours ago, Shenanigunner said:

If anyone ever wanted an Emp healer, I'd probably dual-build one for solo and teaming. But.

 

I considered a solo build for my emp/psy corruptor but then realized the build I had already had an attack chain and what little gain I'd get from dropping the teammate-only empathy powers wasn't worth the hassle of maintaining two builds.

[Shenanigunner]

6 minutes ago, Placta said:

I considered a solo build for my emp/psy corruptor but then realized the build I had already had an attack chain and what little gain I'd get from dropping the teammate-only empathy powers wasn't worth the hassle of maintaining two builds.

 

That's what I find on a lot of my alts. A second build would be so similar it's not worth the time and Enh's.

 

But building a zero-human Kheld and an all-human one is two different alts.

[Snarky]

I very rarely do.  I have a Farmer I use a farm build, that build is USELESS in normal content, so I slapped on a semi generic I/o build that works fine.

 

On my new main, an Invul/Dark Brute that I am soloing the game with, I have a 1) Solo Build.  Stealth.  2) Team Build. Taunt 3) at 50 I will put in a Aeon/Tanky build.  Lots and Lots of hard armor, including probably Rune of Protection and possibly Unstoppable!

[Bill Z Bubba]

I'm in the "don't use 'em" camp. I have one final build per character and that's that. If I exemplar low enough that I lose the majority of my attacks, I switch tray 1 to tray 9 which has boxing, brawl, sands of mu and black wand waiting if needed.

[roleki]

I use secondary builds on stuff that has a lot of KB; I happen to like a lot of KB, but I hate dancing around it on teams, so primary builds are boniferous and replete with KB:KD, then secondary builds are the minion launchers.  I've only forgotten to switch back to the -KB build a couple of times.

[Shred Monkey]

In a few rare cases, I use an alt build to make a build specific for exemplaring down below the point where I no longer have a full attack chain with my main build.   

[Aracknight]

I sort of meant to have build three specifically for PVP, but I never really got too interested in that after the changes in i13 made PVP such a different animal.    

 

Currently build one is my "master" top of the line build.  I tend to lean towards roleplay, so a lot of themes blend together.  For example, my Scrapper has Mu Mastery and Ion Judgment.  If I wanted, I could do Blaze Mastery and Pyronic.  Or Mace Mastery and Arachnos Lore.  I could use build two to expand to a different theme or even a different role.  I could build it to be a little beefier for off-tanking, or I could use build two in a "Scraptinel" fashion and max out some ranged attacks from the epic pool and hover around blasting in large groups where my melee DPS isn't vital.  I just think it's awesome to have options.

 

And although I haven't ever gotten to it yet, I always considered playing a Kheldian, with Build 1 being Human, Build 2 being Nova, and Build 3 being Dwarf.  I figure with the ability to swap builds with a macro, that'd be some meta-level tri-forming.

[Bill Z Bubba]

1 minute ago, Aracknight said:

I figure with the ability to swap builds with a macro, that'd be some meta-level tri-forming.

 

O.o

 

Is there no cooldown on swapping builds?

[Aracknight]

It resets all your power cooldowns.  ALL of them, including accolade and incarnates, if I'm not mistaken.  Unless you're asking if there's a time lockout between changing builds.  I know when I change at a trainer It tells me I have to wait if I try to change too soon or pick the wrong one.  Maybe 60 seconds, not 100% sure.

 

Edit:  wiki says 

• Builds can be changed once every 15 minutes.

 

So maybe not as meta as I had envisioned, if true.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Aracknight