Tuning up storm/water at 50

[TaxibotJoe]

Tuning up my storm/water defender now at 50 with alpha unlocked (cardiac for the end reduc). Prefer teaming but solo capable.

 

Tried a proc heavy build. Ended up chasing +rech, +recovery, & -end instead. Loading up on procs seemed worse than being able to toss out more tornadoes and lightning storms. 

 

Feedback & advice appreciated. TIA!

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.2.17
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Jericho Jones: Level 50 Magic Defender
Primary Power Set: Storm Summoning
Secondary Power Set: Water Blast
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Leaping
Power Pool: Leadership
Ancillary Pool: Electricity Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: O2 Boost -- Pnc-Heal/EndRedux(A), Pnc-EndRdx/Rchg(3), Pnc-Heal/Rchg(3), Pnc-Heal/EndRedux/Rchg(5), Pnc-Heal(5)
Level 1: Aqua Bolt -- HO:Nucle(A), HO:Nucle(7)
Level 2: Snow Storm -- EndRdx-I(A), EndRdx-I(11)
Level 4: Hasten -- RechRdx-I(A), RechRdx-I(13)
Level 6: Steamy Mist -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def(13), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(15)
Level 8: Freezing Rain -- TchofLadG-DefDeb(A), TchofLadG-DefDeb/Rchg(15), TchofLadG-DefDeb/Rchg/EndRdx(17), TchofLadG-DefDeb/EndRdx(17)
Level 10: Whirlpool -- SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg(A), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(19), SprVglAss-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(19), SprVglAss-Rchg/+Absorb(21), IceMisTrmt-Acc/Dam/End(21), IceMisTrmt-+ColdDmg(23)
Level 12: Hurricane -- DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb(A), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/Rchg(23), DarWtcDsp-ToHitdeb/Rchg/EndRdx(25), DarWtcDsp-ToHitDeb/EndRdx(25)
Level 14: Fly -- Frb-Fly(A)
Level 16: Combat Jumping -- Ksm-Def/EndRdx(A), Ksm-ToHit+(27)
Level 18: Assault -- EndRdx-I(A)
Level 20: Dehydrate -- SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg(A), SprDfnBst-Dmg/Rchg(27), SprDfnBst-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(29), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(29), SprDfnBst-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(31), SprDfnBst-Rchg/Heal%(31)
Level 22: Maneuvers -- LucoftheG-Def/EndRdx(A), LucoftheG-Def(31), LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(33)
Level 24: Tactics -- GssSynFr--ToHit/EndRdx(A), GssSynFr--ToHit(33)
Level 26: Tornado -- SuddAcc--KB/+KD(A), FrcFdb-Rechg%(33), ExpRnf-Acc/Rchg(34), ExpRnf-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(34), ExpRnf-EndRdx/Dmg/Rchg(34), ExpRnf-Dmg/EndRdx(36)
Level 28: Water Jet -- Apc-Dmg/Rchg(A), Apc-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(36), Apc-Acc/Rchg(36), Apc-Dmg/EndRdx(37), Apc-Dam%(37)
Level 30: Tidal Forces -- GssSynFr--Build%(A)
Level 32: Lightning Storm -- SuddAcc--KB/+KD(A), FrcFdb-Rechg%(37), Thn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(39), Thn-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(39), Thn-Dmg/EndRdx/Rchg(39)
Level 35: Steam Spray -- Rgn-Dmg/Rchg(A), Rgn-Acc/Dmg/Rchg(40), Rgn-Acc/Rchg(40), Rgn-Dmg/EndRdx(40), Rgn-Knock%(42)
Level 38: Geyser -- Bmbdmt-+FireDmg(A), FrcFdb-Rechg%(42), PstBls-Acc/Dmg/EndRdx(42), PstBls-Dam%(43), IceMisTrmt-Acc/Dam/End(43), IceMisTrmt-+ColdDmg(43)
Level 41: Electric Fence -- GrvAnc-Immob/Rchg(A), GrvAnc-Acc/Immob/Rchg(45), GrvAnc-Acc/Rchg(45), GrvAnc-Immob/EndRdx(45), GrvAnc-Hold%(46)
Level 44: Charged Armor -- GldArm-End/Res(A), GldArm-ResDam(46), GldArm-3defTpProc(46), StdPrt-ResDam/EndRdx(48), StdPrt-ResDam/Def+(48)
Level 47: Shocking Bolt -- Lck-%Hold(A), BslGaz-Acc/Hold(48), BslGaz-Acc/Rchg(50), BslGaz-EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(50), BslGaz-Acc/EndRdx/Rchg/Hold(50)
Level 49: Vengeance -- LucoftheG-Def/Rchg+(A)
Level 1: Vigilance 
Level 1: Brawl -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Sprint -- Clr-Stlth(A)
Level 2: Rest -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Swift -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Hurdle -- Empty(A)
Level 1: Health -- Pnc-Heal(A), Pnc-Heal/+End(7), Prv-Absorb%(9)
Level 1: Stamina -- PrfShf-EndMod(A), PrfShf-End%(9), PwrTrns-+Heal(11)
Level 1: Combo Level 1 
Level 1: Combo Level 2 
Level 1: Combo Level 3 
Level 14: Afterburner 
------------

Edited October 13, 2022 by TaxibotJoe

[TaxibotJoe]

25 minutes ago, Krimson said:

First thing I'd do with that build is swap out O2 Boost for Gale, and slot 1 Sudden Acceleration KB>KD. Keeping the slotting, you could add four Bombardment. Then lead with it ALL THE TIME. 🙂

Gale looks tempting but having a spot heal in teams is pretty handy. If someone attracts a little too much attention, toss out a quick heal and a tornado if not on cooldown or hop over and hurricane if not. Instant no-go zone. 

[TaxibotJoe]

5 minutes ago, Krimson said:

This is what I use. 

Cloud Control - Defender (Storm Summoning).mxd 5.41 kB · 0 downloads

I will have a look. Thanks!

[Doomguide2005]

A few random thoughts:

• I've never run Water Blast, so there's that caveat
• Snow Storm and Steamy Mist costs the same end/sec (.52 end/sec).  I'm guessing you pretty much run Steamy Mists non-stop and Snow Storm is more on and off (and a bit more elective).  But Snow Storm has 2 endred and Steamy Mist has about 1/4 of that amount ...
• Aqua Bolt - you could do 2 Thunderstrike -> Acc/Dam and either A/D/Endred or A/D/Rchg to gain a +2.0% recovery bonus, potentially boosting to +5.
• +RunSpd is nice, but consider using 1 GSFC To Hit/Endred and 1 Adj Tar To Hit/Endred.  Again boosting as desired.  Should net almost the same To Hit while improving end consumption
• Steamy Mist - I'd hate to not buff both the defense and resistance aspects, particularly on a team build PBAoE power.  But to do that you need slots, 3 most likely. 1 potentially out of Snow Storm.  The next is possibly out of Freezing Rain.  Consider:
• Freezing Rain - 2×Endred/Rchg, 1 Achilles resist debuff ... and 1 more slot for Steamy.  Getting FR up often while not getting eaten alive by end costs is typically more valuable than a slight buff to the defdebuff aspect.
• Hurricane - the more frequently you run this (and for longer time spans) the more I'd be emphasizing the endred aspect while 4-slotting DWD.
• The +recovery from 2-slotting Kismet in CJ is nice, but that 2nd slot would be high on my list to repurpose.  Either to a different unique/special or moved to another power altogether.  Leaning towards either Winter's Gift or KB protection
• I'd like to see both the Shield Wall +5% resistance and Reactive Defenses scaling resistances in the build.  Ugh why Steamy Mist not 10 slotted 🤪
• I like the slotting in Charged Armor.  +4.0% recovery, +6% defense and -3pts kb protection is a good return on the slots.

     Still thinking on what I'd do with Steamy Mist beyond trying to find 6 slots for it.  Wish I knew more about Water Blast.  Guessing slots/powers could be had somewhere there but ...

[TaxibotJoe]

All good catches @Doomguide2005!

 

Changed the Gaussian in Tactics to Adjusted Targeting for a tiny damage boost. Balanced enhancements in Freezing Rain and Hurricane. With the recovered slots, added Shield Wall to Steamy Mist. 

 

Still on the test server. Swapped out O2 Boost for Gale per @Krimson. Excellent soft control. Recharge is too low to trigger the Force Feedback proc, so that’s another slot recovered.

 

The test server is such a great resource. Makes tuning and testing so much easier. This is the first Defender I’ve been able to comfortably solo vs +4. Not notable for most but a high point for me. I freely admit I’m not a skilled player.

[Sanguinesun]

Your build expends more endurance (at its base) than it recovers among other things.  Also water jet is your highest single target power that can be pretty much insta cast pretty often too. I highly suggest for you to look at Sir Myshkin's  Storm/Energy blast 3.0 build that they made in this thread:

 

 

Its Tornado does much more damage(like 400 more), has more defense/resistance and you can attain the same high recharge times.

 

Just take it in mids and switch out the energy for water and shift/add around the water sets as needed while leaving the storm side untouched.

 

I have to mirror as well krim's suggestions with gale(as mirrored by the choices in Sir Myshkin's build as well. 

 

And incarnate choices and the passive accolades really help flesh that out.

 

And lastly, remember changes that are incoming to the game will allow you to take some powers much earlier, helping to allow different choices in set ups that may influence your build as well.

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by Sanguinesun

[Sir Myshkin]

Actually pretty easy to swap Water Blast for Energy Blast since there's almost identical counterparts between the two sets to make the flip happen:

 

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And its main secret to being endurance neutral is in proper cycling of Conserve Power and Victory Rush around the occasional use of Unleash Potential. After Incarnate Unlocks, taking Support Radial also adds another element of endurance management with its global end discount. If these don't get managed properly the build can still consume itself pretty quickly. There should absolutely never be an overlap of CP and VR for any reason, or it will suffer downtime (and y'all have no idea how crazy "downtime" feels when this thing is traveling).

[MistressOhm]

Thoughts on a Storm/Elec:

 

@Krimson's suggestion of the KB/KD conversion from Sudden Acceleration in Gale - DO EET.  Turns this cheap cone into a "sit down right there" power whenever you need it... without the "throwing things away from your melee teammates" bit.  Not sure on putting Bombardment set into it, mine's only double slotted for Accuracy/Recharge and Recharge/KB-to-KD.  Damage has always been 'meh' on Gale so I don't use it for that.  

 

End management will be THE tuning linchpin.  Nothing's worse than when Snow Storm AND Hurricane drop at the same time (letting your EB escape whatever wall you've stuck it to) because you fired off something expensive.  You learn to keep an eye on the End meter and only use T1 and T2 blast attacks until the gas gauge climbs back up.   

 

Defense: One COULD slot Steamy Mist for extra Def, but aside from some lucky shots, my Stormie manages just fine with a full Dark Watcher's Despair -ToHit set in Hurricane.  If they're in range of the windy whirlpool, they ain't hitting the wide side of the barn, much less you or any of your teammates.  THAT's your Def, right there, and it covers the whole team.  (That said, throw a LotG global recharge into Steamy Mist as a mule, so that if anything does drop due to end overusage, you can get it back relatively quick.)  

 

Snow Storm is your on-demand "Nerf Something" toggle.  Slow, -Fly, -Recharge, all in one convenient mob-centered AOE.  It's been invaluable when herding the ToT EB's of late (and turned Ghost Widow into Miss Weaksauce in the Daedalus arc).  It is end-heavy, though.  Ooof is it end-heavy. 

 

Need a little more?  Drop Freezing Rain.  -Recharge, Slow, -Def, and -Res, for as long as you can keep things in the area of effect anyway.

 

The entire set pairs well with /Elec because of one thing:  /Elec has trivial/decent End refunds on nearly everything that hits.  So while you spend End attacking, you get a significant portion back.  That's extremely helpful when toggle-juggling a Stormie, not so good for damage though.  I put a full Bombardment set into Thunderous Blast, it doesn't modify End Drain on targets much (TB takes away a LOT even at base values) but it really kicks up the damage and also adds an occasional Fire damage proc.   Great for culling adds, such as Nictus crystals or Rikti portals popping out more targets, and also deleting most if not all of the main target's Endurance along with a significant hit to the Health meter.  

Edited October 26, 2022 by MistressOhm