Attack slotting

[Aisynia]

I gotta say, this is throwing me for a loop. I see a few different philosophies now that taking our attacks is something we should be doing. I don't really know what to do. How should attacks be slotted? I'm trying to build a Nin/TA and it's breaking my brain cause I am fairly sure I have to unlearn how attacks are slotted on other ATs, I just don't know what I should be replacing that knowledge here with.

 

So how many slots in these things?

 

What kind of bonuses should be slotted for?

[biostem]

8 minutes ago, Aisynia said:

I see a few different philosophies now that taking our attacks is something we should be doing.

TBH, I take the attack for their added effect more than the damage they do, (which is still nice).  The -res from merc AR attacks, the extra crit chance from ninja archery ones, and the temporary pet summons from necro dark blasts all assist you and your pets, but I wouldn't say you have to worry too much about particular slotting - maybe just an acc or 2 to start...

[Aisynia]

8 minutes ago, biostem said:

TBH, I take the attack for their added effect more than the damage they do, (which is still nice).  The -res from merc AR attacks, the extra crit chance from ninja archery ones, and the temporary pet summons from necro dark blasts all assist you and your pets, but I wouldn't say you have to worry too much about particular slotting - maybe just an acc or 2 to start...

 

Right, the utility they provide now is great, and MM attacks do basically no damage to begin with, but I guess it bugs me to have a power and not do something with it. Are there any set bonuses that should be squeezed out or anything? Hmm, I guess I will look through what can be slotted into them and see if I can get like 2-3 slots to do something special.

 

BTW do they need to hit in order to apply the buff to the pets?

[biostem]

Well, for instance, if you're gonna take fistful of arrows, and if it counts as a ranged AoE attack, an Annihilation chance for -RES could work nicely.  If your secondary is trick arrow, then the entropic chaos chance to heal self could fill in a bit for the lack of a self heal.  Frankly, though, I'd worry about slotting your attacks after all the other mainstays are taken care of...

Edited December 24, 2022 by biostem

[StrikerFox]

3 hours ago, Aisynia said:

BTW do they need to hit in order to apply the buff to the pets?

 

Great question! Just tested and it looks like they do. Crit chance % does not appear in the Combat Attributes window, but we can see the Ninja MM's attack symbols in the pet's buff display, when the crit bonus is active. It appears even on misses.

 

 

In the end, slot attacks for set bonuses your MM may need. Miscellaneous R/E/N +def, +res, +end, +recharge. Frankenslotting is an option. Example if endurance is needed, 2 slot Ragnarok, 2 Positron's Blast and 2 Annihilation into Fistful of Arrows. It would provide +6.5% recovery and +1.35% max end. Pick the IO that provide +acc, dam and end redux. Also a damage proc if devoting that many slots. Slots are pretty tight so I usually only use 3 max per MM attack. 3 slot Thunderstrike is my go to, just for the E/N +def.

 

[Nyghtmaire]

56 minutes ago, StrikerFox said:

 

Great question! […deep knowledge]

 

@StrikerFox has the goods.

[kelika2]

Just like any other ranged attack.  I only really use Decimation and posi blast/bombardment for the recharge bonus.

I found trick arrow to be simple and effective, mostly just firing of Flash Arrow most of the time leaving plenty of room for attacks.  Sure you can do a little more but meh.

[WumpusRat]

On 12/23/2022 at 4:55 PM, Aisynia said:

BTW do they need to hit in order to apply the buff to the pets?

I haven't tested any of the others, but the necromancy attacks do NOT need to actually hit in order to summon a specter. Just fire them off on cooldown (assuming you have the endurance) until it pops up a specter, then go back to doing other stuff.

[Aisynia]

I have settled on 3 slotting them, focusing on some minor end/recovery/HP/regen style bonuses and maximizing accuracy. If I end up with extra slots, I could be easily convinced to slot some procs in them, but really only if I have absolutely nowhere else to put those slots.

[Aisynia]

12 hours ago, WumpusRat said:

I haven't tested any of the others, but the necromancy attacks do NOT need to actually hit in order to summon a specter. Just fire them off on cooldown (assuming you have the endurance) until it pops up a specter, then go back to doing other stuff.

 

Interesting, thank you.

[Nyghtmaire]

1 minute ago, Aisynia said:

I have settled on 3 slotting them, focusing on some minor end/recovery/HP/regen style bonuses and maximizing accuracy. If I end up with extra slots, I could be easily convinced to slot some procs in them, but really only if I have absolutely nowhere else to put those slots.

I have procs in Gloom on my current build, but will be respeccing soon to change it. Just not worth the slot investment. My Necro/Dark is slowly going recharge > recovery/End > HP >>> ranged defense. 

[Aisynia]

1 minute ago, Nyghtmaire said:

I have procs in Gloom on my current build, but will be respeccing soon to change it. Just not worth the slot investment. My Necro/Dark is slowly going recharge > recovery/End > HP >>> ranged defense. 

 

Yeah like I said, if I have absolutely no other place for the slots.

[tidge]

I have been exclusively playing my Robotics/Traps/Mace MM since page 5. I have the MM (personal) attacks slotted for set bonus, and a little extra(*1). My thinking was to improve my own Endurance, and add something that would act as a force multiplier for my henchmen. I went the %-Resistance and Knockdown route as the force multiplier.

 

Obviously, any slowish AoE is a good candidate to try for %damage from procs, but the Endurance penalty for MMs has historically been such that trying to eek out more damage from personal attacks has not been a priority for me.

 

(*1) I have two 5-piece sets of Annihilation (mainly for +MaxEnd, global End Discount, and the %-Res) and one 6-piece Sudden Acceleration. On my build, each of the three attacks (Photon Grenade, Pulse Rifle Burst, Mace Beam Volley) also has a KB->KD piece (using the Overwhelming Force where necessary)

 

Depending on the MM build, and how you plan to play it (very active requiring Endurance, or less button mashing) I can see going for set bonuses that improve resistances for the MM, to help with Bodyguard mode.

[BazookaTwo]

My Ninja/time has decimation bu, achilles -res in the bow attacks. It adds up if you spread the arrows around liberally