What are my options for knockback/knockdown protection?

[earthaddy]

I've seen a few posts here and there that talk about it a little, but I can't find them. Seems the trick arrow secondary has some in the set. But I'm playing devices. I understand you can get some from IO sets, I think, but I don't know enough about what I'm doing to fork over big money at level 23. Acrobatics?  Is there one magic kickass enhancement that does the trick? What are my options while leveling up?

 

Talk to me like I'm not a very smart man, and please explain my options and how to actually go about getting them.

 

Thanks.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

There are three different IOs that give four points of knockback protection. The sets they are in are Karma, Blessing of the Zephyr and Steadfast Protection. In generla the easiest one for most Blasters to use is Blessing of the Zephyr since it is aUniversal Travel enhancement and can slot into any travel power. The second most popular is Karma since it's a defense set and can slot into Combat Jumping or Hover (although both of those powers can take Blessing as well Karma tends to be a little bit cheaper).

 

As a side note, in theory you could slot up to five copies of each of those IOs although in practice that would obviously be overkill. A single IO will protect you from a large number of knockback effects (and all knockdown effects) and is generally sufficient for most of the game. Adding a second or third protection IO has some value but perosnally I only do it if I want the set bonuses, I don't do it for the kb protection itself.

[earthaddy]

Ok, thank you very much for the information. Should I buy one of those now? I read something about getting enhancements to level up with you, I can't remember the term used, and I don't know how to do it. Attuned maybe? Not sure how any of that works.

[coffeethrall]

It's also worth noting that knockback protection can come from IO set bonuses. Three Gladiator's Javelin IOs in a single-target ranged attack will give you Mag 3 knockback resistance, as will three Fury of the Gladiator IOs in a Point Blank Area of Effect blast (such as Energy Blast's Nova, Fire Blast's Inferno, etc.). It's a bit less than the Mag 4 resistance granted by the IOs previously mentioned, but it's another source of KB protection to consider, and will stack with any other source of knockback protection. From Devices, Gladiator's Javelin can go into Gun Drone (and theoretically Taser, but you'll *probably* want to slot it for Stun rather than damage), and Fury of the Gladiator will go into Trip Mine as well as Time Bomb.

[Novacat]

Don't forget one of the strongest knockback resistances: Flight.

Being in the air will roughly halve the offline-time you would have suffered otherwise.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

Ok, thank you very much for the information. Should I buy one of those now? I read something about getting enhancements to level up with you, I can't remember the term used, and I don't know how to do it. Attuned maybe? Not sure how any of that works.

Yes Attuned enhancements are great as you're leveling. I tend to buy several useful IOs for leveling. Knockback protection is one of them, the others I like to buy while leveling are the Miracle and Numina procs to go in health and some Luck of the Gambler global recharge IOs to improve my attack chain.

 

Given the changes int he market here compared to live I've actually been buying more general purpose IOs while leveling but those are the critical ones.

[senseichen]

You can also get 10 points of KB resistance from your SG base buffs.  They last an hour, persist through death, and cost a couple of common/uncommon salvage.  Grab the Attack Speed buff and maybe Recovery while you're there.

 

Make a Supercollider/Arcane Crucible in your SG base!  If you don't have a base, get one in Atlas, they're free!

[earthaddy]

You can also get 10 points of KB resistance from your SG base buffs.  They last an hour, persist through death, and cost a couple of common/uncommon salvage.  Grab the Attack Speed buff and maybe Recovery while you're there.

 

Make a Supercollider/Arcane Crucible in your SG base!  If you don't have a base, get one in Atlas, they're free!

 

I've been reading a lot about this game lately, and this is the first I've heard of SG base buffs. I have a base, which is mostly just a workbench and a bunch of salvage shelves. What interface do I use to find the buffs?

[senseichen]

Yeah, we could do with a general Newbie guide to free or nearly free stuff at this point. :)

 

You need to create buff tables, I think they're under the Arcane Workshop or Tech Workshop tabs when you Place Items.  There are three levels of each, but you might as well get the level 3 versions: Supercollider and Arcane Crucible.

 

Place those in your base.

 

Then click on them and they'll give you a big menu of buffs with the Salvage required for each, and a Create button.  Each of the two tables has three different mixes of Salvage per buff, so there are 6 possible mixes of Salvage for each.  Apparently making these buffs counts towards some crafting badge too.

[Eva Destruction]

The Knockback resistance enhancements give you Mag 4 knockback protection regardless of their level.  That's all they do.  They don't enhance the power you put them in.  So they don't improve with level, which means there's no need to attune them.  Just buy them at the lowest level they're available, which I believe is level 10 for all of them.

 

I would suggest having at least two, for Mag 8 protection.  Mag 4 is enough for most things, but the things it isn't enough for can generally also kill you pretty quickly so you want to stay on your feet so you can fight back or run away.

[Adeon Hawkwood]

The Knockback resistance enhancements give you Mag 4 knockback protection regardless of their level.  That's all they do.  They don't enhance the power you put them in.  So they don't improve with level, which means there's no need to attune them.  Just buy them at the lowest level they're available, which I believe is level 10 for all of them.

You're correct. However since attuning IOs is free (just buy them attuned on the market) it makes sense to go ahead and get them attuned in case you want to add other IOs from the set later for set bonuses and power enhancement.