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Fire/TA - An Excess of AOE?

Tacheyon

By Tacheyon
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Tacheyon

Tacheyon

Posted
Posted

I don't have a lot of experience with Blasters.  Mostly with Controllers/Doms & MM's.  But I do like Tactical Arrow as it's similar to Trick Arrow (just more offensive and less debuffs).

 

I have been leveling a Fire/TA to take advantage of Rain of Fire and Oil Slick (hell I can use Fireball and Bonfire as well to ignite it).  I am looking for a endgame build and I have rough draft.  But I wouldn't mind if someone could rip it apart and give me some idea on a proper build.  Thanks

 

This Hero build was built using Mids Reborn 3.4.7
https://github.com/LoadedCamel/MidsReborn

Click this DataLink to open the build!

Purify: Level 50 Magic Blaster
Primary Power Set: Fire Blast
Secondary Power Set: Tactical Arrow
Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting
Ancillary Pool: Flame Mastery

Hero Profile:
Level 1: Flares

  • (A) Decimation - Chance of Build Up
  • (3) Entropic Chaos - Chance of Heal Self
  • (3) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
  • (5) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  • (5) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance

Level 1: Glue Arrow

  • (A) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (7) Bombardment - Chance for Fire Damage
  • (7) Positron's Blast - Chance of Damage(Energy)
  • (9) Impeded Swiftness - Chance of Damage(Smashing)
  • (9) Ice Mistral's Torment - Chance for Cold Damage

Level 2: Fire Ball

  • (A) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Recharge/Chance for Fire Damage
  • (11) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage
  • (13) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Damage/Recharge
  • (13) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
  • (15) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  • (15) Superior Blaster's Wrath - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 4: Fly

  • (A) Freebird - +Stealth
  • (17) Soaring - Endurance/FlySpeed

Level 6: Rain of Fire

  • (A) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (17) Bombardment - Chance for Fire Damage
  • (19) Bombardment - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge/Endurance
  • (19) Bombardment - Damage
  • (21) Bombardment - Damage/Recharge
  • (21) Bombardment - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge

Level 8: Hover

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (11) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  • (23) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage

Level 10: Upshot

  • (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
  • (23) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge
  • (25) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff

Level 12: Aim

  • (A) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff/Recharge
  • (25) Adjusted Targeting - To Hit Buff

Level 14: Hasten

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (29) Recharge Reduction IO

Level 16: Flash Arrow

  • (A) Siphon Insight - Chance for +ToHit
  • (31) Cloud Senses - ToHit Debuff
  • (31) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/ToHitDebuff
  • (31) Cloud Senses - ToHit Debuff/Endurance/Recharge
  • (33) Cloud Senses - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge

Level 18: Blaze

  • (A) Apocalypse - Chance of Damage(Negative)
  • (33) Apocalypse - Damage
  • (33) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge
  • (34) Apocalypse - Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
  • (34) Apocalypse - Damage/Endurance

Level 20: Eagle Eye

  • (A) Endurance Modification IO
  • (27) Healing IO
  • (27) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  • (29) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb

Level 22: Blazing Bolt

  • (A) Sting of the Manticore - Chance of Damage(Toxic)
  • (36) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Endurance
  • (36) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Interrupt/Recharge
  • (36) Sting of the Manticore - Accuracy/Damage
  • (37) Sting of the Manticore - Damage/Endurance/Recharge

Level 24: Gymnastics

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (34) Shield Wall - Defense
  • (42) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
  • (42) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance

Level 26: Inferno

  • (A) Armageddon - Chance for Fire Damage
  • (43) Armageddon - Damage
  • (43) Armageddon - Damage/Endurance
  • (43) Armageddon - Damage/Recharge
  • (45) Armageddon - Recharge/Accuracy

Level 28: Evasive Maneuvers

  • (A) Defense Buff IO

Level 30: Oil Slick Arrow

  • (A) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (37) Ragnarok - Chance for Knockdown
  • (39) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge
  • (39) Ragnarok - Damage/Recharge/Accuracy
  • (40) Ragnarok - Damage/Endurance
  • (42) Ragnarok - Damage

Level 32: ESD Arrow

  • (A) Power Transfer - Chance to Heal Self
  • (48) Energy Manipulator - Chance to Stun
  • (48) Stupefy - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge
  • (50) Stupefy - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (50) Stupefy - Endurance/Stun

Level 35: Bonfire

  • (A) Overwhelming Force - Damage/Chance for Knockdown/Knockback to Knockdown
  • (37) Bombardment - Chance for Fire Damage

Level 38: Fire Shield

  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  • (45) Aegis - Psionic/Status Resistance
  • (46) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance
  • (46) Gladiator's Armor - End/Resist

Level 41: Boxing

  • (A) Empty

Level 44: Tough

  • (A) Impervium Armor - Psionic Resistance
  • (46) Impervium Armor - Resistance/Endurance
  • (48) Impervium Armor - Resistance

Level 47: Weave

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (47) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  • (50) Luck of the Gambler - Defense

Level 49: Rise of the Phoenix

  • (A) Avalanche - Recharge/Chance for Knockdown

Level 1: Brawl

  • (A) Empty

Level 1: Defiance 


Level 1: Sprint 

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|-------------------------------------------------------------------|

Zect

Zect

Posted
Posted
  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

But I wouldn't mind if someone could rip it apart and give me some idea on a proper build.

Expand  

 

You're in luck! My favorite coh activity is explaining to forumites in excruciating detail why their builds are terrible, their slot-efficiency awful, their design goals schizophrenic, their understanding of how to play their powersets utterly lacking, and how I will now proceed to rearrange all their IO's to save two slots. Brace yourself!

 

In all seriousness: this build is actually not garbage. You have a large amount of recharge and have prioritized damage. The changes I can suggest to you are chiefly minor optimizations, rather than fixes to fatal build design mistakes or fundamental misconceptions in how to utilize the sets or AT.

 

The biggest question facing you is whether you intend to build for some defense (likely ranged, as you have a resist epic toggle). It is possible to be successful with low/no defense, but your slotting implies you have tried to build for some, so I will present suggestions on how to increase ranged defense. It should be easy to hit at least 32.5% ranged def (more will require more significant changes to slotting, including losing damage procs).

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 1: Flares

  • (A) Decimation - Chance of Build Up
  • (3) Entropic Chaos - Chance of Heal Self
  • (3) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage
  • (5) Thunderstrike - Accuracy/Damage/Endurance
  • (5) Thunderstrike - Damage/Endurance
Expand  

 

Both these procs are quite weak; Decimation is only 1 PPM and lasts a mere 5.25 seconds. Entropic chaos only heals for 5% of base HP, about ~60 HP on blasters. For reference, you already heal 25 hps just idling on the sidewalk. If you intend to pursue ranged defense, scrounging a slot from elsewhere and making this 6x Thunderstrikes would add 2.5 ranged def (upping thunderstrike's ranged Defense Per Added Slot to more reasonable levels).

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 8: Hover

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (11) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Endurance
  • (23) Reactive Defenses - Scaling Resist Damage

Level 24: Gymnastics

  • (A) Luck of the Gambler - Defense/Increased Global Recharge Speed
  • (34) Shield Wall - Defense
  • (42) Shield Wall - +Res (Teleportation), +5% Res (All)
  • (42) Shield Wall - Defense/Endurance
Expand  

 

These two powers have small base values. Hence, it is not usually wise to spend a lot of slots enhancing them because this gives only minor returns (especially since defense is Schedule B, i.e. less enhancement value per slot). Case in point, if I stripped out everything but the lotg's and the resist uniques from these powers you would save 3 slots but lose only 1% def to all. Those 3 slots could be invested elsewhere for a bigger defense set bonus.

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 10: Upshot

  • (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
  • (23) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Recharge
  • (25) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff
Expand  

 

Instead of pursuing the 1.87% HP bonus from the 3rd piece, removing a slot to invest in unbreakable guard: +7.5% HP (resistance sets), while changing this to 1x +5 common rech IO and a Gaussian's proc, would give the same proc, higher recharge, and about 4 times more HP bonus.

 

Alternately, 6x gaussians if you can scrounge up the slots is possible too - the DPAS is poor, but it does not require losing damage procs in your attacks.

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 14: Hasten

  • (A) Recharge Reduction IO
  • (29) Recharge Reduction IO
Expand  

 

Speaking of boosting, you really should boost your IO's. Boosters are only 1.2 million ish on the AH.

 

To input boosted IO's in mids, right-click on the slot, select the desired IO, tap "+" on the numpad to boost and place as normal.

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 6: Rain of Fire

  • (A) Annihilation - Chance for Res Debuff
  • (17) Bombardment - Chance for Fire Damage
  • (19) Bombardment - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge/Endurance
  • (19) Bombardment - Damage
  • (21) Bombardment - Damage/Recharge
  • (21) Bombardment - Accuracy/Damage/Recharge
Expand  

 

Note that the annihilation -res proc, like achilles heel, does not stack with itself (proccing again just refreshes the duration). One proc, slotted in an alpha strike power, with high procrate, is decent. Multiple procs run into diminishing returns extremely fast.

 

Since you already have one in Glue Arrow with a high procrate, you can consider removing the proc here and the one in OSA, and saving slots.

 

This would then open up options such as 6x defiant barrage (10% rech, 2.5% ranged def and status protection proc, you do lose a damage proc though) or 6x artillery (a little over 4% ranged def).

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 20: Eagle Eye

  • (A) Endurance Modification IO
  • (27) Healing IO
  • (27) Performance Shifter - Chance for +End
  • (29) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb
Expand  

 

Remove the numina's proc from health and place it here. Change the common healing IO to numina's convalesence: heal and boost to +5. This gives more regen due to the set bonus.

 

When using procs that can go in multiple powers, try to see if you can place them together with other members of their set for a small bonus, especially since many sets have a member that is common-IO equivalent.

 

You have a performance shifter proc but no panacea proc. If you have only 1 slot to spend on a sustain proc then it should be the panacea proc, because it gives more end over time and heals as well. The health from the proc can even wake you up from sleep.

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 28: Evasive Maneuvers

  • (A) Defense Buff IO
Expand  

 

Evasive maneuvers does not give def in combat (unlike some powers such as stealth and supe invis, that continue to give a smaller amount in combat). It is a worthy lotg mule, however.

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Power Pool: Flight
Power Pool: Speed
Power Pool: Fighting

Expand  

 

Fire is one of the blast sets that has a snipe to use in its ST rotation (generally a chain of flares > blaze > flares > blazingbolt at your rech). Snipes when used in combat gain bonus damage depending on how much bonus tohit you have, up to a cap of 22%.

 

Therefore, fire/ blasters should consider leadership, for tactics. Lightly-slotted tactics and a kismet unique give ~20% tohit. You could potentially drop evasive maneuvers and 1 other power to replace it with maneuvers/tactics, which would also give you more def.

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 32: ESD Arrow

  • (A) Power Transfer - Chance to Heal Self
  • (48) Energy Manipulator - Chance to Stun
  • (48) Stupefy - Accuracy/Stun/Recharge
  • (50) Stupefy - Accuracy/Recharge
  • (50) Stupefy - Endurance/Stun
Expand  

 

You have 2 knockdown patches and an aoe stun, and all of them are essentially usable every spawn. You should ask yourself whether you really need all 3 controls and how often you will actually use all of them. If you are willing to drop one, I would probably drop this - the stun duration is very short.

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 38: Fire Shield

  • (A) Gladiator's Armor - TP Protection +3% Def (All)
  • (45) Aegis - Psionic/Status Resistance
  • (46) Gladiator's Armor - Resistance
  • (46) Gladiator's Armor - End/Resist
Expand  

 

The aegis unique does little for you. You went from 14% to 19% psi resist on a blaster with 1299 HP. This means your EHP against psi increased by 93 hp. The unbreakable guard unique I mentioned to you earlier gives 90 HP... except it works against all damage.

 

Rather than attempting to build for small amounts of resistances, some ranged defense (e.g. 6x gladiator's armor for 2.5 ranged def - low DPAS but allows ranged def from a set category that usually does not have it) would actually protect you better from psi attacks overall as many psi attacks are ranged vector, including many rikti, illusionist, and tarantula attacks.

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 9:03 PM, Tacheyon said:

Level 49: Rise of the Phoenix

  • (A) Avalanche - Recharge/Chance for Knockdown
Expand  

 

If you like, this is a good place to mule the preventive medicine proc and save a slot. Despite being called a "proc" the preventive medicine proc is more like a global. It works (on you) even when slotted in ally-only powers such as heal other and even when they are not used.

 

With the slots you save you can consider muling sets for ranged defense, such as 6x stupefy in boxing or 3x explosive strike in kick, or reinvest in other build goals.

  • Thumbs Up 4
Crowcus Pocus

Crowcus Pocus

Posted
Posted (edited)

Plenty of great feedback/advice above 👆

I've attached my build, recently updated to Page 5. You'll notice I don't shoot for soft capped defenses. Instead, I go for a more all rounded approach that gives me enough defenses, resistances, and crowd control to play aggressively.

 

One small purple will cap your ranged, melee, s/l, and neg/energy defenses if needed. But 99% of the time you'd be better of popping reds and killing things faster.

 

Heatwave Hawk - Blaster (Fire Blast).mxdFetching info...

Edited by Crowcus Pocus
  • Like 1

Warning: This post may contain an opinion.

Tacheyon

Tacheyon

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you for all your help and advice especially @Zect.  That is quite an in depth and detailed review.  I have a bit of reading and thinking to do.  My chief goal of this build was to get something better than I have now, as I took most of the primary powers to get a feel for them.  Heck I do like Fire Breath but I can admit it takes a little too long to animate for the damage it produces.  I was just throwing a bunch of things that looked "good".

 

 

  On 2/26/2023 at 11:08 PM, Zect said:

You have 2 knockdown patches and an aoe stun, and all of them are essentially usable every spawn. You should ask yourself whether you really need all 3 controls and how often you will actually use all of them. If you are willing to drop one, I would probably drop this - the stun duration is very short.

Expand  

 

Yeah, that is a carry over from main-ing Controllers since Launch.  The more options you have to keep an enemy in place away from you is a good thing.  Especially as with this combo you want things in your burn patches for as long as possible.  But I probably will drop ESD Arrow as between Bonfire and Glue Arrow I should have "enough" control to last for what a Blaster's Primary purpose is.  To drop things...fast.  It's a different mindset for sure.

 

I really appreciate the advice, thank you for your time!

SeraphimKensai

SeraphimKensai

Posted
Posted

@Zectoffers some pretty good comments.

 

I would add,

 

  • Take a the freebies stealth io out of fly, stick either a speed or leaping stealth io in sprint, it does the same thing and allows you to replace the slotting in fly with a 2 piece of blessing of the zephyr for a 1.25% range boost.
  • Weave, you'll get better defense replacing the non lotg global recharge IOs with +5 boosted shield wall defense and defense/end.
  • The lotg def/end in hover can easily be replaced with a kismet tohit global. You'll get more bang for your buck there.
  • Rise of the Phoenix I'd replace with maneuvers personally. You can adjust some slotting choice to allow you the 1 lotg 7.5 and the 2 boosted shield walls.

I generally like procs, but you seem to have overkill on them. I'd make sure your ranged defense gets to at least 32.5% because then you can soft cap your ranged defense with a small luck inspiration as needed. Also flash arrow helps in this regard however some of your tohitdebuff will get resisted by some mobs.

  • Like 1
Meknomancer

Meknomancer

Posted
Posted

Old build been pretty unkillable just going for 45% ranged when boosted:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

  • Like 1
r0adkill76

r0adkill76

Posted
Posted

How do you guys get used to the constant re-draw on TA ?  Its driving me insane its like I can take a drink while it draws, that is way tooooooo loooooooong!

Crowcus Pocus

Crowcus Pocus

Posted
Posted
  On 3/4/2023 at 12:35 PM, r0adkill76 said:

How do you guys get used to the constant re-draw on TA ?  Its driving me insane its like I can take a drink while it draws, that is way tooooooo loooooooong!

Expand  

 

You can choose a No Redraw option. Go to any trainer/tailor, click Customize Appearance -> Primary/Secondary -> Tactical Arrow (No Redraw). Same applies to most other primaries/secondaries with redraw animations (bar a few exceptions).

  • Like 1

Warning: This post may contain an opinion.

r0adkill76

r0adkill76

Posted
Posted
  On 3/4/2023 at 6:11 PM, Crowcus Pocus said:

 

You can choose a No Redraw option. Go to any trainer/tailor, click Customize Appearance -> Primary/Secondary -> Tactical Arrow (No Redraw). Same applies to most other primaries/secondaries with redraw animations (bar a few exceptions).

Expand  

 

Oh wow, did not know that, that is a little bit awesome. 

Crowcus Pocus

Crowcus Pocus

Posted
Posted
  On 3/4/2023 at 8:47 PM, r0adkill76 said:

 

Oh wow, did not know that, that is a little bit awesome. 

Expand  

 

It is! Without this option my alts would be cut in half. While we're at it, another thing that is possible to do at a facemaker/surgeon is change body size (male/female/huge).

  • Like 1

Warning: This post may contain an opinion.

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