Fading Light, the unorthodox melee monster (Rad/Dark/Soul)

[The Godchild]

I'll openly admit I made this blaster on a total whim because a friend mentioned fire/dark as her build and I thought about what other blast set besides fire had a poop-ton of aoe's to abuse. Didn't take long to remember that Irradiate is thing and I've played Rad before (rad/kin corr specifically) and I know I can be pretty aggressive with it. Lots of KD proc potential with said aoe's...reliable stuns to throw around...etcetc.

 

TL;DR: This unexpectedly become my first 50 on homecoming and one of the most aggressive blaster playstyles I've had next to my tri-fire blapper on live, with way more survival compared without any real slotting in Touch of the Beyond.

 

Anyone that's teamed with me on Everlasting could probably attest to sheer madness of this build and how I regularly survive situations that kill actual proper melee AT's while I'm shoulder to shoulder with them in melee or just alpha into mobs and start wrecking things. My joke about "Forgot that I'm playing a blaster" isn't really that much of a joke anymore...I pretty much play her like a scrapper or a brute in non-incarnate content (can't be a total nutter in that because incarnate mobs have boosted stats).

 

TL;DR pt 2: This build definitely isn't for everyone, if you're timid about jumping into a mob of +1/+2 romans as an actual melee AT like a brute or tanker...you should probably stick to playing proper melee AT's then trying to replicate this particular brand of utter madness.

 

This build revolves around being super aggressive and getting into melee quickly to let OG start stunning dudes, laying out aoe's to get diamagnetic procs going, knockdowns and debuffing defenses (Since rad is awesome like that), making sure to tag a boss with TotB (its worth it to use when its recharged since its a mag 3 fear and even more -tohit) and then either punching goons in the mouth or backing off (hovering up) if the melee heat gets too strong to let your health recover before diving right back in.

 

Core stats:

+50% Damage (With assault active)

+75% Recharge (No hasten)

+42.5% Max HP (translates to 1700+ hp for a blaster)

30% Melee def

20% Ranged/AoE def

237% Recovery (with TotB, I run 9 toggles so...yeah, +recovery and +endurance are a must)

403% Regen (with TotB)

 

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Click this DataLink to open the build!

 

Fading Light: Level 50 Magic Blaster

Primary Power Set: Radiation Blast

Secondary Power Set: Darkness Manipulation

Power Pool: Flight

Power Pool: Leaping

Power Pool: Fighting

Power Pool: Leadership

Ancillary Pool: Soul Mastery

 

Hero Profile:

Level 1: Neutrino Bolt

• (A) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (39) Decimation - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (39) Decimation - Damage/Recharge
  
• (39) Decimation - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (50) Decimation - Chance of Build Up
  

Level 1: Penumbral Grasp

• (A) Empty
  

Level 2: Irradiate

• (A) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (7) Superior Avalanche - Damage/Endurance
  
• (7) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (11) Superior Avalanche - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (13) Superior Avalanche - Recharge/Chance for Knockdown
  
• (13) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage
  

Level 4: Smite

• (A) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (40) Mako's Bite - Damage/Recharge
  
• (40) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (40) Mako's Bite - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 6: Electron Haze

• (A) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (15) Positron's Blast - Damage/Endurance
  
• (17) Positron's Blast - Damage/Recharge
  
• (19) Positron's Blast - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (21) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
  

Level 8: Hover

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  
• (9) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage
  
• (9) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
  
• (11) Soaring - Endurance/FlySpeed
  

Level 10: Death Shroud

• (A) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (15) Overwhelming Force - Endurance/Recharge
  
• (42) Overwhelming Force - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (42) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown
  

Level 12: Fly

• (A) Blessing of the Zephyr - Knockback Reduction (4 points)
  

Level 14: Combat Jumping

• (A) Kismet - Accuracy +6%
  
• (42) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  

Level 16: Soul Drain

• (A) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (19) Superior Defiant Barrage - RechargeTime/+Status
  
• (17) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 18: Cosmic Burst

• (A) Apocalypse - Damage
  
• (21) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (23) Apocalypse - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (23) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance
  
• (29) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative)
  

Level 20: Touch of the Beyond

• (A) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb
  

Level 22: Boxing

• (A) Empty
  

Level 24: Tough

• (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  
• (25) Steadfast Protection - Resistance/+Def 3%
  
• (25) Unbreakable Guard - +Max HP
  
• (27) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance
  
• (27) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance
  
• (29) Unbreakable Guard - Endurance/RechargeTime
  

Level 26: Neutron Bomb

• (A) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (33) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  
• (33) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (34) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (34) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Recharge/Chance for Fire Damage
  
• (50) Ragnarok - Chance for Knockdown
  

Level 28: Assault

• (A) Endurance Reduction IO
  

Level 30: Weave

• (A) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance
  
• (31) Red Fortune - Defense
  
• (31) Red Fortune - Endurance
  
• (31) Red Fortune - Defense/Endurance/Recharge
  
• (33) Red Fortune - Defense/Recharge
  

Level 32: Atomic Blast

• (A) Obliteration - Damage
  
• (34) Obliteration - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (37) Obliteration - Damage/Recharge
  
• (37) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  
• (37) Obliteration - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge
  

Level 35: Dark Embrace

• (A) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance
  
• (36) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance
  
• (36) Unbreakable Guard - Resistance/Endurance/RechargeTime
  
• (36) Unbreakable Guard - RechargeTime/Resistance
  

Level 38: Midnight Grasp

• (A) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage
  
• (43) Superior Defiant Barrage - Damage/RechargeTime
  
• (43) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/RechargeTime
  
• (43) Superior Defiant Barrage - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/RechargeTime
  
• (46) Hecatomb - Chance of Damage(Negative)
  

Level 41: Oppressive Gloom

• (A) Stupefy - Endurance/Stun
  
• (45) Stupefy - Accuracy/Endurance
  
• (48) Stupefy - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge
  

Level 44: Dark Pit

• (A) Absolute Amazement - Stun
  
• (45) Absolute Amazement - Stun/Recharge
  
• (45) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge
  
• (46) Absolute Amazement - Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (46) Absolute Amazement - Endurance/Stun
  

Level 47: Maneuvers

• (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  
• (48) Luck of the Gambler - Defense
  
• (48) Luck of the Gambler - Endurance/Recharge
  
• (50) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
  

Level 49: Aim

• (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  

Level 1: Defiance

 

Level 2: Swift

• (A) Flight Speed IO
  

Level 2: Health

• (A) Panacea - +Hit Points/Endurance
  

Level 2: Hurdle

• (A) Jumping IO
  

Level 2: Stamina

• (A) Performance Shifter - EndMod
  
• (3) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Recharge
  
• (3) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy/Recharge
  
• (5) Performance Shifter - EndMod/Accuracy
  
• (5) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  

Level 0: Freedom Phalanx Reserve

Level 0: Portal Jockey

Level 0: Task Force Commander

Level 0: The Atlas Medallion

 

Level 50: Musculature Radial Paragon

Level 50: Assault Radial Embodiment

Level 50: Diamagnetic Total Core Conversion

Level 50: Clarion Core Epiphany

Level 50: Rularuu Core Superior Ally

Level 50: Void Radial Final Judgement

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[TungstenShark]

I never really enjoyed playing a Blaster in the past, but this concept might be the way to get me interested. Looks fun and a little bit suicidal (in a good way).

 

What is your rotation (or priority system) when fighting, for both single target and packs?

[The Godchild]

This build would have been hella fun with the old version of defiance...but the new version's not terrible either and doesn't promote quite the same level of suicidal gameplay.

 

What is your rotation (or priority system) when fighting, for both single target and packs?

 

Priority will always go to the aoe side of things if there's more then 2 guys, since every aoe that hits means -5% tohit and a chance to knock them down which is part of the survival factor, if they can't hit you....your buffed up regen with TotB can let you take a few hits without too much concern.

 

Group/pack:

Basic Opener - Throw Neutron bomb then dash in to drop irradiate just as neutron lands (its got a long travel animation afterall and its fun to abuse that), both proc knockdown which typically drops several dudes on their butts while the impressive -def debuff means OG and Death Shroud will have a much higher chance to hit and either knock them down again or stun lieus and minons.

"Rotation" - Not sure I can really call it that, its more hitting on aoe powers when they recharge....irradiate and neutron are staple attacks, Electron haze is a good backup if the other 2 aren't recharged yet (I actually don't use it that much but its nice to have) then I just lay into whatever the highest rank guy is with Midnight, Smite and Cosmic between aoe bursts. Dark Pit is a good "Oh shit" button to have, a wide area mag 2 stun that stacks with OG and leaves whole groups drooling for a few seconds.

Other Options - Just dive right in for Soul Drain and drop Atomic Blast...good times watching giant clusters just drop dead around ya. Void Judgement is the same deal but you don't need Soul Drain so its a good massive aoe attack when Atomic's not recharged.

 

Single Target:

Opener/Rotation - Cosmic burst to the face since its also a mag 3 stun meaning you can typically stun a boss before he even gets to react thanks to OG's stun, TotB to follow up for the -tohit and survival buffs (And a mag 3 fear) into Midnight n'smite and by then cosmic's usually recharged, repeat. The ST rotation is extremely simple like that and the cc you get is actually kinda crazy.

[chadius]

I tried these powersets on Test last night and fell in love with this build. It reminded me of my Rad/Dark Corruptor back on live (seriously, try it if you haven't) but now with even MORE damage.