Rad Build Review

[Owenknowone]

Looking for feedback on my potential build.  Thank you

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.2.17
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Science Tanker
Primary Power Set: Radiation Armor
Secondary Power Set: Radiation Melee
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Fighting
Power Pool: Concealment
Ancillary Pool: Energy Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Alpha Barrier

• (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance
• (3) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance
• (3) Unbreakable Guard - Endurance/RechargeTime
• (5) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance
• (5) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (7) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance

Level 1: Contaminated Strike

• (A) Perfect Zinger - Chance for Psi Damage

Level 2: Gamma Boost

• (A) Numina's Convalesence - +Regeneration/+Recovery

Level 4: Proton Armor

• (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (7) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance
• (9) Unbreakable Guard - Endurance/RechargeTime
• (9) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance
• (11) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP
• (11) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance

Level 6: Fallout Shelter

• (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance
• (13) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance
• (13) Unbreakable Guard - Endurance/RechargeTime
• (15) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance
• (15) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (17) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance

Level 8: Radiation Therapy

• (A) Theft of Essence - Healing
• (17) Theft of Essence - Healing/Recharge
• (19) Theft of Essence - Accuracy/Healing
• (19) Theft of Essence - Accuracy/Endurance/Healing
• (21) Theft of Essence - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
• (21) Theft of Essence - Chance for +Endurance

Level 10: Super Jump

• (A) Winter's Gift - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range
• (23) Winter's Gift - Run Speed, Jump, Flight Speed, Range/Endurance
• (23) Winter's Gift - Slow Resistance (20%)

Level 12: Beta Decay

• (A) Perfect Zinger - Chance for Psi Damage
• (25) Perfect Zinger - Threat/Placate

Level 14: Taunt

• (A) Triumphant Insult - Chance to Disorient

Level 16: Radiation Siphon

• (A) Hecatomb - Damage
• (25) Hecatomb - Damage/Recharge
• (27) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (27) Hecatomb - Accuracy/Recharge
• (29) Hecatomb - Damage/Endurance
• (29) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage(Negative)

Level 18: Particle Shielding

• (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal
• (31) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
• (31) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime
• (31) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
• (33) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance
• (33) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb

Level 20: Fusion

• (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
• (33) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge
• (34) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge/Endurance
• (34) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance
• (34) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance
• (36) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up

Level 22: Kick

• (A) Force Feedback - Chance for +Recharge

Level 24: Tough

• (A) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
• (36) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
• (36) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance

Level 26: Ground Zero

• (A) Multi-Strike - Accuracy/Damage
• (37) Multi-Strike - Damage/Endurance
• (37) Multi-Strike - Damage/Recharge
• (37) Multi-Strike - Accuracy/Endurance
• (39) Multi-Strike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
• (48) Multi-Strike - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 28: Weave

• (A) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance
• (39) Shield Wall - Defense
• (39) Shield Wall - Defense/Recharge
• (40) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
• (40) Shield Wall - Endurance/Recharge
• (40) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance/Recharge

Level 30: Irradiated Ground

• (A) Armageddon - Damage
• (42) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge
• (42) Armageddon - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (42) Armageddon - Accuracy/Recharge
• (43) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance
• (43) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage

Level 32: Meltdown

• (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance
• (43) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance
• (48) Unbreakable Guard - Endurance/RechargeTime

Level 35: Devastating Blow

• (A) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage
• (45) Superior Might of the Tanker - Damage/Recharge
• (45) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
• (45) Superior Might of the Tanker - Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (46) Superior Might of the Tanker - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
• (46) Superior Might of the Tanker - Recharge/Chance for +Res(All)

Level 38: Atom Smasher

• (A) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage
• (46) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Damage/RechargeTime
• (47) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime
• (47) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (47) Superior Gauntleted Fist - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
• (48) Superior Gauntleted Fist - RechargeTime/+Absorb

Level 41: Focused Accuracy

• (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff

Level 44: Physical Perfection

• (A) Power Transfer - Chance to Heal Self

Level 47: Combat Jumping

• (A) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage

Level 49: Stealth

• (A) Empty

Level 1: Gauntlet 

Level 1: Brawl

Edited May 6, 2022 by Owenknowone

[Onlyasandwich]

Hello there!

 

Your power choice is looking good overall, and the build itself is certainly quite survivable.

 

What goals do you have in mind? I'm sure it could be optimized further, but this will depend on where your focus is:

• Maximum survival at all costs against everything?
• "Good enough" survival against most content with stronger damage?
• Maximum damage at all costs? 
• Are there any thematic commitments, and is a travel power a must for you?

 

On the surface, your focus appears to be maximizing all resists across the board. You have left quite a lot of damage on the table in doing so, and many resists are overcapped, leaving potential to shave and shift power elsewhere. 

 

A few things that stand out baseline:

• Energy Mastery doesn't really add anything to your build. The extra recovery and heal proc in physical perfection is not very impactful (Rad has plenty of blue support), and Focused Accuracy isn't needed for most of your powers to hit. It has more value if you swap to a proc focus in attacks to maximize damage.
• Broadly speaking, you have gone for a lot of 6 slot bonuses that don't really do a lot, and provide many redundant bonuses like further resist for one that is already capped. You would benefit more from either shifting these slots away or a hybrid set strategy in most cases.
• You  would really benefit from more recharge (perhaps Hasten) for a more cohesive ST attack chain, as it currently relies on several long-cooldown powers with limited global recharge. You have FFback toggled on in Kick, which skews the totals. Using Kick (especially unenhanced) just for FFback in actual play results in very poor performance.

 

I would have my own approach to this combo, of course, but would love to provide more specific feedback based on what you see in this character's future!

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by Onlyasandwich

[Owenknowone]

Thanks for your feedback.  I am thinking of optimizing this build / set more for offense.  Initially i thought survivability but I can use a different toon for that.  Where would you trim the fat?

[Onlyasandwich]

If I have time, I may go more in depth, but take a look at my Rad/War Mace Tanker for comparison:

 

Build:

Spoiler

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.2.17
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Level 50 Magic Tanker
Primary Power Set: Radiation Armor
Secondary Power Set: War Mace
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Alpha Barrier -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(3), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(3), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(42), ImpArm-ResPsi(43), Ags-Psi/Status(50)
Level 1: Bash -- SprGntFis-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(A), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(43), SprGntFis-Dmg/Rchg(43), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg(45), SprGntFis-Rchg/+Absorb(45), SprGntFis-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(45)
Level 2: Gamma Boost -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 4: Jawbreaker -- SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg(A), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(5), SprMghoft-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(5), SprMghoft-Rchg/Res%(40), FrcFdb-Rechg%(42), TchofDth-Dam%(42)
Level 6: Proton Armor -- UnbGrd-ResDam(A), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(7), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(7), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx/Rchg(17), ImpArm-ResPsi(48), GldArm-3defTpProc(50)
Level 8: Fallout Shelter -- UnbGrd-Max HP%(A), UnbGrd-ResDam(9), UnbGrd-ResDam/EndRdx(9), UnbGrd-Rchg/ResDam(17), ImpArm-ResPsi(48)
Level 10: Radiation Therapy -- TchoftheN-Heal(A), TchoftheN-Heal/HP/Regen/Rchg(11), TchoftheN-%Dam(11), Erd-%Dam(13), Obl-%Dam(13), PrfZng-Dam%(15)
Level 12: Beta Decay -- HO:Enzym(A)
Level 14: Hover -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), ShlWal-ResDam/Re TP(15), Ksm-ToHit+(46)
Level 16: Build Up -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 18: Particle Shielding -- Prv-Absorb%(A), Prv-Heal/Rchg(19), Prv-Heal(19), Prv-Heal/EndRdx(37), Prv-EndRdx/Rchg(46), Prv-Heal/Rchg/EndRdx(46)
Level 20: Whirling Mace -- ScrDrv-Acc/Dmg(A), ScrDrv-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(21), ScrDrv-Dam%(21), Erd-%Dam(23), Obl-%Dam(25), PrfZng-Dam%(25)
Level 22: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(23)
Level 24: Boxing -- Empty(A)
Level 26: Ground Zero -- HO:Nucle(A), Obl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(27), Obl-%Dam(27), Erd-%Dam(34), TchofLadG-%Dam(34), PrfZng-Dam%(34)
Level 28: Clobber -- Hct-Dmg(A), Hct-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(29), Hct-Acc/Rchg(29), Hct-Dmg/EndRdx(31), Hct-Dam%(31), TchofDth-Dam%(31)
Level 30: Tough -- StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(A), ImpArm-ResPsi(48)
Level 32: Weave -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A), Rct-Def(33), Rct-Def/EndRdx(33), Rct-ResDam%(33)
Level 35: Shatter -- SprAvl-Acc/Dmg(A), SprAvl-Dmg/EndRdx(36), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(36), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), SprAvl-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(37), PrfZng-Dam%(37)
Level 38: Crowd Control -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(39), Arm-Dam%(39), Erd-%Dam(39), PrfZng-Dam%(40), FrcFdb-Rechg%(40)
Level 41: Fly -- WntGif-ResSlow(A)
Level 44: Evasive Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 47: Taunt -- PrfZng-Dam%(A)
Level 49: Meltdown -- ImpArm-ResPsi(A)
Level 1: Gauntlet 
Level 1: Brawl -- SprBlsCol-Acc/Dmg(A), SprBlsCol-Dmg/EndRdx(50)
Level 1: Sprint -- Empty(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Health -- Pnc-Heal/+End(A)
Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-End%(A)
Level 50: Musculature Radial Paragon 
Level 41: Afterburner 
------------

 

Note that it achieves similar defenses, and almost the same resists across the board, though shy in Psi.

 

The slotting strategy for your secondary will by no means be 1:1, but many of the same concepts will apply. The biggest difference is that WM has good spots for FFback procs, so you may have to pick up the difference elsewhere, or instead rely on more attack powers in your rotation overall, perhaps from an epic.

 

Rad Therapy and Ground Zero are both excellent powers for proc bombing. Even slotted as a proc bomb as I have here, RT is still a strong heal. I have also nearly maxed out slow resist, which is really nice for sets that rely on clickies to survive. 

 

 

[ZemX]

On 5/15/2022 at 11:14 AM, Owenknowone said:

Initially i thought survivability but I can use a different toon for that.

 

You gotta be standing to do damage and for Tankers it's difficult not to be the center of attention given that even your single target attacks taunt in an AoE around the target.

 

In the case of Rad Armor in particular, survivability and damage output share some things.  Rad Armor is primarily a resist set with added regen/recovery.  The two biggest add-ons to resist for survivability are the accurate self-heal and the absorb shield.  RT is vulnerable to both toHit and recharge debuffs and Particle Shielding can be made unavailable by recharge debuffs.   Coincidentally... both of those debuffs destroy your damage output as well.  Rad Armor is particularly vulnerable to debuffs, in general, because it lacks solid defense and defense debuff resistance.  More debuffs hit you, thus they affect you more than a defense-based toon.

 

So for one, DON'T drop Focused Accuracy.   It's not about the small toHit buff.  It's about the massive toHit debuff resistance.  It also adds perception and perception debuff resistance, which is nice because you generally also need to see things to hit them, at least with anything that's targeted.

 

Two, DO follow @Onlyasandwich's advice and pick up slow resist.  Sprinkle pairs of Winter Set IOs around your build for the 2-slot bonus and add Winter's Gift unique.  This will protect the refresh rate on your survival tools as well as on your damage dealing tools.  As an added bonus, it protects movement speed as well, meaning you won't be troubled by tar and glue patches.  Tar Patches can sometimes be no joke as, last I checked, some enemies still have the unresistable version.  Go up against a few Prophets in First Ward and they can just about zero your damage resistance if you can't escape their tar patches.

 

Also agree on proc bombing RT and GZ but definitely keep that Theft of Essence in RT. There are enemy groups that can drain well enough to overcome even Rad Armor's respectable endurance recovery and resistance.  For those times, it's nice to just hit RT in a crowd and fill nearly your entire blue bar in one step.  You can laugh off entire strike teams of Mu, Malta Sappers, Carnies, etc.