Storm/Bio build.

[Sovera]

Until the courageous Mids devs tackle the convolutedness that is Storm and incorporate it in the program I am using Water to sub for it. Chain Lightning uses Targeted AoE so I took Water Burst. Hydro Blast takes a Force Feedback proc which is what Hailstones does as well, so perfect.

 

Mids devs came out as the unsung heroes that they are. Next reply has the actual build. Updated program can be found over https://midsreborn.com/

 

Powers are taken as I did for leveling (read the Gust part) with a 5k jetpack bought from the P2W vendor until I got to Fly. I later toyed with the idea of replacing Intensify with Fly since it will not affect the build much either way.

 

 

This was a slow leveling with generic IOs for part of the way so here are some observations:

 

- The set will feel like a watered down ranged version of Radiation Melee where we focus on a boss and incidental damage takes care of the spawn. To support this I suggest using /optionset ShowVillainName 1 and /optionset ShowVillainBars 1

 

- It takes too long to prep up so be prepared to be flexible and drop Storm Cell on one group, then alternate with Category 5 on the next. Even in a duo playing at +1x8 it was common to have the boss at half HP by the time I was finished dropping both ground skills, popped Intensify, and finally started with blasting. In a full team it will just be frustrating trying to do the full prep each time.

 

- I leveled with Gust until 24 and when I took Cloudburst I respecced out of Gust. I would not advise this on generic IOs as by Synapse/Yin it was only mild gap-ey with Hasten up but leaving me with 5-6 seconds of downtime when Hasten was not up. With how the set works the gaps made me double dip into lost damage with the mechanics of Storm Cell and Category Five. For those not aware of the mechanics both Storm Cell and Category Five will do random attacks if we use our Storm powers on targets in them (we don't need to be in them, just our targets). The gaps both mean I was doing less damage by waiting for the powers to recharge but also less damage from Storm Cell/Cat 5. Gust would have fixed this.

 

- At level 30-ish I got three Decimation sets and the rotation was smooth already which leads me to think that if someone is leveling with generics then keep Gust until late (40-ish, maybe more), but if having money to purchase the IOs then at 25 it is fine to transition off Gust. This will leave hardcore exemplaring (Posi 1 and 2) without a third attack which Chain Lightning only poorly substitutes but exemplaring to Synapse already has three attacks. With how such deep exemplaring kills so many bonuses even Synapse is bound to be gap filled though but there are no simple solutions since Gust is not needed once we have our three big hitters. Maybe I can work some replacement slotting so that Gust takes over a mule but sadly ranged sets don't have S/L which is what I wasted slots on.

 

- I leveled without Inexhaustible or Rebuild DNA up to 24-25 ish and it was a nightmare. Not even Recovery Serums could keep my blue bar up. So I heartily suggest pushing a power back (Intensify, maybe?) and level with at least Inexhaustible. By level 30-ish I had Rebuild DNA as slotted in the build and found my endurance problems to have been solved, but I do not have Tough and Weave running yet.

 

- I also leveled without Jet Stream since I loathe cones. This made the AoE pretty poor but it was fine-ish since I was playing with a friend who would help. For pure solo the lack of Jet Stream would make for slow killing. Chain Lightning is okay but did not warrant the 20 seconds recharge since it's secondary effect of endurance drain is fluff. But it's easy to do a Lightning Strike/Cloudburst + Hailstones + Chain Lightning rotation in AoE situations.

 

- Once I got Category Five the AoE felt fine. Ish. I could mostly mow a +0 spawn before Cat 5 ended and didn't even have Intensify slotted. With the help of the FF proc in Hailstones and Hailstones getting extra KD chance in Storm Cell I have zero complaints about recharge. Things are up when needed.

 

- Cloudburst, Lightning Strike, Hailstones, repeat, makes for a smooth rotation without particular gaps even by level 30 and I don't even have LotGs etc slotted in. The DoT nature of both Cloudburst and Hailstones will make for overkill but it is what it is. Lightning Strike is the goat btw. I keep Hailstones last so the Force Feedback duration is not eaten by animation times. Not a worry later on with more global speed and might make Hailstone sit better after Cloudburst. Cloudburst does good damage, but between travel time and DoT it's common to be wasted damage and that's why I use it first.

 

- Dropping two ground based powers, then using Intensify and THEN starting to do damage is a hefty ramp up, but Sentinels have the defenses for it and I did not try to be fancy: just flew on top of a group's head and then placed everything. To make things easier I used binds: /bind shift+1 powexec_location target Storm Cell and /bind shift+2 powexec_location target Category Five. Replace shift+1 for whatever keypress you'd like then target an enemy to drop the powers. If preferring another method consult https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Powexec_location_(Slash_Command)

 

- Speaking of Intensify the damage boost numbers are very mild (25% damage boost as opposed to 50% from most Sentinel sets) but adds an extra 20% chance of making Storm Cell/Category Five do damage. This means drop Storm Cell + Category 5 and THEN use Intensify so all attacks have the extra 20% chance.

 

- The build went for 33% defense to most since I found this enough when playing a Bio Sentinel (even slotted for endurance Rebuild DNA still heals us). This is more so with Storm that causes mobs to slowly panic-run while debuffed. If things get bad a small purple can be eaten that will put the build at 45% defense. Later on Taishibishi (Caltrops) helps if solo as a one slot wonder (auto hits, ready to be used at every spawn) by adding it if needed as it creates a zone that mobs will refuse to enter thanks to the fear effect Caltrops has. This is not strictly needed with Storm and thus it is a flex power. I would not bother using it on a team, but your mileage may vary.

 

 

I found the build to be fairly nice. It has a certain Controller-ish aspect to it where dropping all our ground effects causes a lot of soft CC and keeps things fairly safe for our team. Even not fully slotted the damage was nice even if by Sentinel standard so not super super but things dying at a reasonable pace. Much better than Water for example, and animations crisp and fast unlike Radiation. The AoE was not amazing but I blame my stubbornness in not taking the cone. With that said I feel Storm can take a role of straggler mopping since Storm Cell/Cat 5 will usually still be going once the squishy minions have soaked the initial brunt.

 

I will report once I get some pylon times.

 

Spoiler

https://www.midsreborn.com/builds/download.php?uc=1752&c=740&a=1480&f=HEX&dc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

Edited May 7, 2023 by Sovera

[Sovera]

Updated build now that Mids has Storm Blast.  Sentinel (Storm Blast - Bio Armor).mbd

 

Made a couple small changes:

 

- One wast was swapping the Apocalypse set over to Hailstones instead so that it too would have a damage proc. It also helps feeling better to press that button and not be lagging so far behind the others (308 damage when all other attacks do 450. With the Apocalypse it goes up to 355).

- The other was taking the super expensive Superior Blistering Cold for a more humble Kinetic Combat. We do lose 15% recharge resistance and a bit of Recovery but neither are particularly needed IMO.

 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Sovera

[Sovera]

After finally reaching level 50 and playing the game while slowly picking up the accolades I feel a bit conflicted on Parasitic Leech.

 

As it is the endurance is slightly too much on the red, but I have not picked the accolades yet which will add another 0.28, nor Musculature's 33% that will add another 0.32. At reaching level 50 I ended up taking Parasitic Leech instead of the caltrops.

 

...and I find even as a one slot wonder I am using it to replace Ablative when I need heal/shielding, and using it instead of Rebuild DNA when I need endurance. In either case I get the other side of the coin be it heals as well when wanting endurance or recovery as well when wanting heals.

 

I played around with taking the slots from Rebuild DNA and give them to Parasitic as well and the numbers were pretty decent with getting as much as something like 1.5 extra recovery with a single enemy, or as much as capping out recovery if hitting five enemies. The only reason I did not go for it was two fold:

 

- Rebuild DNA does not need targets. Parasitic Leech does. Anyone who remembers the old Consume from Fire Armor will remember the absolute *pain* that was needing endurance, only one enemy in range... and Consume missed. Try again in one minute. This is something relying on Parasitic Leech is bound to make happen.

- The power of Parasitic leech lays on being a five target AoE. Even as a one slot wonder there is a hefty 464% regen and 215% recovery if hitting 5 targets which is a compelling reason to leave it as a secondary heal or recovery tool one slotted wonder.

 

But because of carrying a second recovery tool I'm now pondering whether the 45% Musculature is not more logical. What restrains me would be relying on Parasitic and have to go through the 2.1 animation.

 

Going from 2.97 to 3.57 will be already very good, but also going from Rebuild DNA giving 48 endurance (ignoring the proc in it for now) to 54 will also help to tilt the balance. At that point Parasitic's value will go down.

 

But caltrops if of dubious use for a Storm Blast-erino. I was playing DA with a small group of friends and when we split I kept soloing spawns. Not at great speed, because Sentinel, but, +4 (no level shift yet), and it's a 33% defense build and no inspirations were being used. I was even pulling two groups sometimes. Storm may not be the wet dream of a power focused player but it handles fine and the -tohits and panic run-ing it inspires plus all the KD does wonders for ourselves and the team.

 

 

Right now I'm leaning towards keeping Musculature 33% as this should/will minimize extra clicks to keep endurance up, take Parasitic, remove the proc from DNA, giving the slot to Parasitic, then +5 two Heal/Rech IOs and keep it as a second (third really since both Ablative and Rebuild DNA heal) back-up. Maybe not truly needed, but nothing else seems really useful to pick either.

 

 

Numbers on the test server show that hitting a pylon with no Musculature slotted does 215 damage. With musculature 45% it does 246, and with Musculature 33% it does 238.

 

Some quick maffs says the 45% damage boost increases damage by 14.4% and the Musculature 33% damage boost is a 10.7% increase. Damage loss is a staggering 3.7% and the reason why I seldom take the 45% version.

 

 

I think 3.7% is not worth when it will add 2.1 second animation clicks to the gameplay. Best instead save those for back-up heals and thus keep Musculature 33%.

 

Welcome to my TED talk and here is the latest iteration. Once I settle for one I will go through the thread and deleting the other versions:

 

Sentinel (Storm Blast - Bio Armor).mbd

[KARMACOP]

Really interested how it develops when you're 100% on it. Keep posting mate ^^

[MirrorDarkly]

Replied to the wrong thread somehow.

 

As a wise man once said.... D'oh!

Edited June 9, 2023 by MirrorDarkly

[Sovera]

8 minutes ago, MirrorDarkly said:

@Sovera

 

You might try the -Res Annihilation proc in Cat5.  I've done some Pylon testing on my Storm/Regen that makes me feel like over a long enough fight it can make a difference (One Test I have 5 slotted Ragnarok leaving out the immobilize and the -Res).  But I find my times fairly swingy with storm overall, that may come down to how an unusually high % of the damage is left up to chance. 

 

I just come from testing procs in Cat5 and Storm Cell and notice they had zero effect that I could see in terms of times. Lemme just repost here:

 

 

First of all a much needed pylon test: : two minutes and 49 seconds. Not blaster times but rather decent for a fully ranged build. endurance was under control and I did not need to use any endurance recovery tools.

 

I may not have maximize Vulnerability since I only used it prior to using Intensify.

 

 

Now proccing Cat 5.

 

On paper (Mids) I went from 111 damage to 305 so the usual 200-ish from loading on three procs and have the other three boosted damage/rech.

 

Time to test:

 

- 4 minutes. ...okay, what? Also, my endurance that was solid  in the 95% range actually forced me to use Rebuild DNA three times during the test.

- Was the first run a fluke? I'll swap back to non proc slotting for Cat 5. No, still 3:58. I wonder what happened with the first pylon there. Endurance did not hold up as well (well, one minute longer fighting would do that) and I had to use Rebuild DNA despite the slotting being the same.

 

Regardless no difference with and without procs so the procs during its duration did not seem to make a difference in the output. This is a bit sad since it is another nail on an already overwrought coffin: Cat 5 neither has the non proccing of Blizz but does not have Blizz's cast and forget either, and procs seemingly have no impact on it either unlike normal nuke

 

 

Storm Cell also does damage though so time to proc it:

 

- 3:44. Not enough of a difference that simple misses would not account for it.

 

 

One last test now with both Storm Cell and Cat 5 triple damage procced:

 

4:13

 

🤷‍♂️

 

 

Super basic test but proccing Storm Cell/Cat 5 seems to show no dividends much like any other rain power. Using both as mules for sets that have no damage procs seems the way to go. Also, the first test must have been a fluke or my eyes playing tricks when I looked at the watch. A whole minute does not simply disappear like that.

 

 

One last test: what if using a different secondary instead of Bio? I did not bother leveling or making a different character for this and just returned the build to it's original state before turning off the thing that makes Bio do extra damage: the offense adaptation.

 

5:20.

 

It does not completely reflect the truth though. Ston did some very nice Trapdoor tests with a Fire/Rad Sentinel getting 4 minutes with it and from what he said Bio did not nearly achieve the same times.

[MirrorDarkly]

Sorry, that should have been a reply to your post on the other thread.

 

I'm not sure what procs you tested. When I tried, one of the few I felt might be making a noticeable difference against pylons and AVs was -Res in Cat5. 

[Underfyre]

20 hours ago, Sovera said:

Super basic test but proccing Storm Cell/Cat 5 seems to show no dividends much like any other rain power.

 

I mentioned that in my write-up. The only ability in this set that handles procs well is Jet Stream. Just chase raw damage.