Slotting Howling Twilight (Dark Miasma)

[tidge]

I've been playing with a Dark/Rad/Dark Defender and it's recently got to level 50... so now the final enhancements go in. All along, I've been using Howling Twilight as an AoE %damage attack, along with its "0# $#!+, that's a LOT of minions" potential. My build is a traditional "Offender"-type build (lots of %damage) albeit without Hasten (global +Recharge should be about 65%). I currently have Howling Twilight slotted as:

1. Javelin Volley %Lethal
2. Annihilation %-Resistance
3. Bombardment %Fire
4. Absolute Amazement Stun/Recharge (+5)
5. Absolute Amazement Accuracy/Recharge (+5)
6. Absolute Amazement Accuracy/Stun/Recharge (+5)

 

I want Accuracy in the power, because as I understand the mechanics of %damage, there is still a To Hit Check, and the long inherent recharge time means that the power tolerates slotted recharge... so the triple slots of a purple seem like a better choice than anything else (including IO/HO/DO). Boosting Stun duration also seems like a no-brainer.

 

My question is: If Ragnarok is used instead (i.e. Damage not Stun) the power tool tip shows a % boost to Healing (and Damage, as opposed to Stun), so what does this healing represent? My solo testing doesn't seem to show it affecting my character The 3-piece bonus to Mez resist is nice, but I could easily swap out one of the Absolute Amazement for the complimentary Ragnarok piece... if that extra healing means anything.

 

Another question that perhaps deserves a separate topic, re: Epic Pool choices. Right now the build uses the Dark Mastery epic:

1. Oppressive Gloom with HO+3 Acc/Mez (often, this is the only other toggle I run besides Shadow Fall)
2. Dark Embrace w/ 2x Unbreakable Guard (+MaxHP, +MaxEndurance from the set)
3. Soul Drain (see below)

 

I didn't search the City of Data, but is the higher level Soul Drain from Dark Mastery different than the Soul Drain of Soul Mastery in any way, but specifically in terms of base recharge time? I only have one extra slot to spare for it anyway, so right now it is slotted with:

1. Armageddon Accuracy/Damage/Recharge +5
2. Invention Recharge 50+5

 

Advice is welcome... Oppressive Gloom isn't that great of a toggle, but it is fun to use with Combat Teleport and the other (PB)AoE... and I kinda like that it will "wake up" enemies that I might otherwise miss because I walked past them and they didn't notice me because of  Shadow Fall. Yet... it is a power I probably wouldn't have taken if I didn't need it for the Epic Dark power.

 

[Carnifax]

25 minutes ago, tidge said:

 

I didn't search the City of Data, but is the higher level Soul Drain from Dark Mastery different than the Soul Drain of Soul Mastery in any way, but specifically in terms of base recharge time? I only have one extra slot to spare for it anyway, so right now it is slotted with:

1. Armageddon Accuracy/Damage/Recharge +5
2. Invention Recharge 50+5

Dark version is half the recharge and 15 foot rather than 10 (this is a big difference)

 

Honestly the Soul version is pointless as-is. I'd bet there'll be some fix for the Dark version, likely they'll end up the same at some point. 

 

Howling slotting seems fine, possibly it's a little to long recharging for procs to be really worth it overall but they will trigger. Remember the Stun only affect Minions on its own, but Rad has Cosmic and you have Oppressive to stack with it. 

[Doomguide2005]

My Emp/Dark solo'd (slowly) Cimeroran repeatedables on Invincible with OG plus Cosmic Burst plus Air Superiority.  Stack stuns on one boss, Air Superiority to keep the other controlled until it was Boss #2's turn.  Combined with the Auras she was quite tough.  This was very early IO issues.  She be vastly tougher these days. 

[tidge]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I like the (over)Stun approach enough that I may dedicate a second build(*1) to MOAR STAGGER. In some ways, this build was an attempt to test out a slightly different playstyle for me... primarily Combat Teleport and a handful of targeting macros (for CT and other powers). I've been pleased with how the character plays on sub-incarnate PUGs... but I (re)learned a harsh lesson w.r.t. just how much the Enhancements contribute to the build when I (by mistake?) ran a Ouroboros mission at level 50 with "no enhancement bonuses"... no deaths but it was slooooow.

 

(*1) It is of course tempting to rejigger the build to be "more capable" of being a solo build that has less to worry about (e.g. Rune of Protecttion is NOT in the build) but I find it refreshingly familiar to have to worry about certain game elements.

 

Does anyone have any idea what the (enhanceable) Healing portion of Howling Twilight does?

[SeraphimKensai]

8 minutes ago, tidge said:

Does anyone have any idea what the (enhanceable) Healing portion of Howling Twilight does?

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=corruptor_buff.dark_miasma.howling_twilight&at=corruptor

 

Guessing it is for the regeneration debuff  portion of the power as it doesn't say ignores outside buffs/effects.

[tidge]

17 minutes ago, SeraphimKensai said:

https://cod.uberguy.net/html/power.html?power=corruptor_buff.dark_miasma.howling_twilight&at=corruptor

 

Guessing it is for the regeneration debuff  portion of the power as it doesn't say ignores outside buffs/effects.

 

Aha...so would that mean for "hard targets" where the regeneration debuff is important (AVs, GMS) Slotting for Damage is a better option? As I wrote above, I am willing to mix 2/1 of the purple sets.

 

-500% Regen is already quite a bit... I assume that the debuff is magnitude and not duration.

Edited June 17, 2022 by tidge

[SeraphimKensai]

Best case scenario you can boot it up on the test server use a power analyzer temp power and play with slotting to see the range of options and decide for yourself which effects you'd like best.

 

That said I personally use Howling Twilight more as a huge -regen debuff while I'm working over an av or GM or something that has an occasional by product of resurrecting the rest of the league so they don't have to lie on the ground as I solo the big bad monster. I haven't really tried to damage proc slot it, as I usually built my proc bombs into other powers that will have more use for me in a chain based on the ppm proc calculator ratios.

[tidge]

I can understand not adding %proc to Howling Twilight. With it's long inherent recharge time, proc rates tolerate slotting for recharge, and the power will need some Accuracy to make sure the %procs hit. With just some moderate recharge from set bonuses/globals the power is ready at around 65 seconds, which ends up pretty close to the recharge time other "nukes"... with Howling Twilight available at level 6! (I also like being able to mix up damage types, even if E/N from the rest of the build is a pretty good damage type for a lot of content)

 

The primary element of using Howling Twilight as a "nuke" that I find problematic is the Endurance cost. Even though this power has my only Annihilation %-Resistance proc (I'm trying to keep the similar Resistance debuff near-constant from the Achilles Heel, in other powers... it could be overkill, but it seems to be working on large spawns) so I am considering pulling that piece out of the power and switching to:

1. Javelin Volley %Lethal
2. Bombardment %Fire
3. Absolute Amazement Stun/Recharge (+5)
4. Absolute Amazement Accuracy/Stun/Recharge (+5)
5. Ragnarok Accuracy/Recharge (+5)
6. Ragnarok Damage/Endurance (+5)

This costs me the 3-set purple bonus, but it adds some extra Recovery and sneaks in a little of whatever the Damage effect is.

[BZRKR]

I don't have any info regarding the question you're asking.

However, I like slotting Ragnarok if that set isn't needed elsewhere in the build, especially the knockdown proc. Few things are as satisfying as the almighty THUMP! that follows a Howling Twilight at the pull point in an MSR.

[Doomguide2005]

 ... ?

I was curious about

 

3 hours ago, tidge said:

 

Does anyone have any idea what the (enhanceable) Healing portion of Howling Twilight does?

And if it's enhanceable it isn't indicated as such in CoD.   It doesn't take Heal or Heal set Enhancements at least as either a Corruptor or Defender.  

[Yomo Kimyata]

What about a high-frequency debuff tool?

 

I'm just spitballing here, but:

 

2x lvl 50+5 recharge IO

Annihilation proc

Ragnorak proc

Absolute Amazement proc

Pacing of the Turtle proc

 

With a goodly amount of global recharge, you should have this up every 40-50 seconds and proc rates should still be maxed out.  So every 40-50 seconds in addition to the power's effects you (90% for each) get:  knockdown, -12.5% damage resist on all foes for 10 seconds, -20% recharge on all foes for 20 seconds, -7.5% to hit on all foes for 15 seconds.  I don't believe any of those require hidden accuracy checks.

 

Or, just put the Stupefy proc in there and send everyone flying!

 

[tidge]

18 minutes ago, Doomguide2005 said:

 ... ?

I was curious about

 

And if it's enhanceable it isn't indicated as such in CoD.   It doesn't take Heal or Heal set Enhancements at least as either a Corruptor or Defender.  

The Healing enhancement appears in Detailed Info when slotted with Damage enhancements.

[Doomguide2005]

17 minutes ago, tidge said:

The Healing enhancement appears in Detailed Info when slotted with Damage enhancements.

Weird, maybe a typo in Detailed Info.  I thought maybe it would yield more Health to anyone rezzed but you rez at +100% health, and regen debuff isn't effected either afaik.  Something to test more.

[tidge]

21 minutes ago, Yomo Kimyata said:

What about a high-frequency debuff tool?

 

I'm just spitballing here, but:

 

2x lvl 50+5 recharge IO

Annihilation proc

Ragnorak proc

Absolute Amazement proc

Pacing of the Turtle proc

 

I appreciate this, but one thing I considered was the 2xRecharge... but even boosted, the net difference between using 2 boosted 50+5 as opposed to a Purple set with (boosted) /recharge was ultimately quite minimal. The short duration (non -Resistance) %debuffs seemed somewhat marginal: There is already -ToHit from the rest of the primary) , see also -Recharge (I can note that I'm also tossing Fearsome Stare to slow down enemy actions). I don't mind the knock-about, but for this defender it felt like more (soft) control than was really needed, whereas the %damage is helping clear speeds.

 

[Yomo Kimyata]

8 minutes ago, tidge said:

 

I appreciate this, but one thing I considered was the 2xRecharge... but even boosted, the net difference between using 2 boosted 50+5 as opposed to a Purple set with (boosted) /recharge was ultimately quite minimal. The short duration (non -Resistance) %debuffs seemed somewhat marginal: There is already -ToHit from the rest of the primary) , see also -Recharge (I can note that I'm also tossing Fearsome Stare to slow down enemy actions). I don't mind the knock-about, but for this defender it felt like more (soft) control than was really needed, whereas the %damage is helping clear speeds.

 

 

Yup, it's overkill on a defender that already has lots of these debuffs, but this is the kind of thing I find fun to look at.  Imagine this power on a scrapper!