God of Storms

[Ultimo]

So, even way back in live days, I made a Defender character based on the Chinese storm god, Ch'ih Sung Tsu.  I made him Storm/Electric Blast, with Teleport Other and Sorcery powers (for flight and Translocation).  But, they've brought out this Storm Blast power set, and I'm considering recreating the character again as Storm/Storm.

 

However, I'm not sure about it, I don't know how effective this new set is... and I've got him (rather painfully, what with trying to resolve the horrendous endurance issues of Defenders) to L35.  I'm not sure I want to go through another 35 levels of leveling a Defender again.

 

So, my question is: What's the new set like?  What are its strengths?  Weaknesses?

[twozerofoxtrot]

You've just opened a can of worms, as people have been weighing in with their feedback on Storm Blast for weeks now, and it's gotten rather rabid.

 

And now they'll be coming here.

 

My advice? Stick with Elec. It's a better blast set; one of the best since the rework.

[biostem]

For me, aesthetics are just as important as actual effectiveness.  I mainly play sentinels, but I've gotten ones with elec and storm blast to 50, so I think I have good experience with both sets.  Elec is by far more straight forward and direct to use.  That being said, if you want to project the feeling of actually conjuring a storm, storm blast is the way to go.  It also has the advantage of dealing a variety of different forms of damage - energy, cold, & smashing.  It also has 2 location-based powers, if you prefer those over more insta-cast ones.

 

With all that said, level 35 is a sweet spot, progression-wise, so if you are already enjoying the character, stick with them.  If you're not sure, install the Homecoming Beat/Test server, where you can insta-level a character to 50, (or whatever level you want), so try out storm blast there and compare it to your experience on live.

[Shocktacular]

If you want to, you can create and play a storm/storm defender and then switch the name if you find him worthy.  Or give your storm/elec a new name and roll the storm/storm with the name you want, with the contingency of switching the name back if you don't like storm/storm.  You don't have to delete anyone.   You can try ALL teh things!!!1!!

Edited May 18, 2023 by Shocktacular

[biostem]

I want to expand upon this topic a bit by asking @Ultimo a question - how comfortable are you with the notion of having to do some setup in order to get the most of your powers;  Storm blast is built around laying down your storm cell, then attacking enemies within it via your other storm blast powers.  Without doing that bit of setup, your attacks will be lacking.

[Ultimo]

5 hours ago, biostem said:

I want to expand upon this topic a bit by asking @Ultimo a question - how comfortable are you with the notion of having to do some setup in order to get the most of your powers;  Storm blast is built around laying down your storm cell, then attacking enemies within it via your other storm blast powers.  Without doing that bit of setup, your attacks will be lacking.

I have no problem with that.  In fact, I kind of like it.  I'm reminded of how Thor is frequently utilized in the Avengers comics, back in the day.  Very often, he wouldn't be part of the main attack.  He'd be hanging back, building a storm to a massive crescendo while the rest of the team keep the enemy busy until he's ready... then he would unleash the full fury of the storm in one titanic attack, to finish off the enemy.

 

 

[Voltak]

On 5/17/2023 at 8:06 PM, twozerofoxtrot said:

You've just opened a can of worms, as people have been weighing in with their feedback on Storm Blast for weeks now, and it's gotten rather rabid.

 

And now they'll be coming here.

 

My advice? Stick with Elec. It's a better blast set; one of the best since the rework.

I will chip in on this.   I will chip in to say that now Electric blast, the new since buffed, is up there with the other elite sets for blasting as a defender. 

1. The whole set has undergone a MASSIVE improvement

2. As a Defender you drain more per each hit, and this is supremely important because --->

3. The faster you drain them, the sooner you make the enemies arrive at SHOCK STATUS ready, which means you get dmg/drain bonus  YOU GET MASSIVE ENDURANCE RETURN TO YOU !!!    You will see endurance issues as less of an issue. 

4. It is the set that provides the most defense to you because drained enemies cannot fight back very well. 

 

[Crysis]

I've taken Storm Blast to 50 on a Storm/Storm Corruptor.  I debated doing on a defender but felt the Scourge damage + perma Soul Drain for +DMG negated any debuff advantages I'd get playing a Defender.

 

As many others have pointed out, Storm Blast appears -designed- to be a middle-tier blast set.  Your damage is back-loaded and in the 40+ game that means you could effectively just respec out of your T9 Cat5 "reverse nuke."  It's just not going to be very usable as most stuff dies well before you can get any utility out of the endurance you'll spend to cast it.  And while we are at it, Storm Cell is pretty "meh" as well, so you could conceivably skip both Storm Cell and Cat 5 and then...why are you playing Storm Blast?

 

There's nothing "wrong" with the set.  It's the Sentinel of blast sets.  It's intentionally designed to be middle of the road.

 

Now thematically and artistically....the set is gorgeous.  Real FX Flex appeal.  Just don't expect your "Go" to equal the "Show" with the set.

 

TLDR; I'd go with Elec.

[MirrorDarkly]

Storm Blasts strength is that it looks and feels awesome.

 

The weakness is that it is *completely* incompatible with the meta and any sort of fast moving team.

 

There is also an open question as to if there is *any* payoff to that. It feels like it should be extremely effective when you can get everything in place for it. However there was some testing in the blaster form that showed it exactly in the middle of the sets, along with dark blast, against a single hard target that lasted long enough to get full use out of storm cell and cat 5.

 

So there is the very real possibility that your damage will, at best, occasionally be average and most of the time aweful.

[Ultimo]

Ok, this set completely changes when you get Storm Cell.  In fact, I think it really ought to be the tier 1 power, it's just so necessary.  Beyond that, WOW it's a spectacular set once it gets going.

[Seed22]

On 5/17/2023 at 6:03 PM, Ultimo said:

So, even way back in live days, I made a Defender character based on the Chinese storm god, Ch'ih Sung Tsu.  I made him Storm/Electric Blast, with Teleport Other and Sorcery powers (for flight and Translocation).  But, they've brought out this Storm Blast power set, and I'm considering recreating the character again as Storm/Storm.

 

However, I'm not sure about it, I don't know how effective this new set is... and I've got him (rather painfully, what with trying to resolve the horrendous endurance issues of Defenders) to L35.  I'm not sure I want to go through another 35 levels of leveling a Defender again.

 

So, my question is: What's the new set like?  What are its strengths?  Weaknesses?

Sadly, I'd stick with elec. Storm...works, and for this theme it'd work fine, but overall it's more work than it's worth. Elec performs significantly better endgame.

[KC4800]

I have a Storm/Storm defender currently at lvl 34. I took 6 Storm Summoning powers, skipping O2 Boost, Steamy Mist and Tornado. I took all Storm Blast powers except Jet Stream.  I try to keep the foes flopping in the Storm cell epicenter. I start off from full invisibilty, with Storm Cell, then Snow Storm and Freezing Rain. Then I start with the Storm Blast Powers. If the group has a boss or 2 lt, I will lay down  a Cat 5. I keep the KB powers like Gale and Hurricane to a minimum only using defensively if I have too many punching me in the face. Endurance is sometimes an issue soloing in long protracted fights so I have to toggle off infiltration and sprint (w/Celerity). I know I can put that Celerity into infiltration, but as I am still leveling up I needed a place for KB protection, and a Kismet +tohit. Eventually Ill get that Celerity moved over, and just use infiltration. This combo works just fine, albeit slow against foes that are energy resistant.

[SeraphimKensai]

47 minutes ago, KC4800 said:

I have a Storm/Storm defender currently at lvl 34. I took 6 Storm Summoning powers, skipping O2 Boost, Steamy Mist and Tornado. I took all Storm Blast powers except Jet Stream.

 

I have a max level storm/storm defender myself and I'll agree there's a lot of powers that look good, but how did you come to skip Steamy Mist and Tornado? Steamy mist has great utility and increases defense and resistances. Tornado just does a ton of damage.

[KC4800]

2 hours ago, SeraphimKensai said:

 

I have a max level storm/storm defender myself and I'll agree there's a lot of powers that look good, but how did you come to skip Steamy Mist and Tornado? Steamy mist has great utility and increases defense and resistances. Tornado just does a ton of damage.

Ill probably have to try those eventually on a secondary build. Tornado has always scared me as an uncontrollable pet that brings on too much aggro. Steamy Mist I skipped because I generally solo. If I teamed a lot I would pick up SM to invis the team if necessary.

[SeraphimKensai]

3 hours ago, KC4800 said:

Ill probably have to try those eventually on a secondary build. Tornado has always scared me as an uncontrollable pet that brings on too much aggro. Steamy Mist I skipped because I generally solo. If I teamed a lot I would pick up SM to invis the team if necessary.

Steamy mist gives you defense, resistance, and stealth which is all useful for solo. Tornado slotted with a overwhelming proc to cause knockdown is an absolute game changer at increasing your mitigation by knocking mobs on their ass. It generally stays with that enemy until the enemy dies, rather then the kb version pre knockdown proc that scatters mobs and chases them.

[Doomguide2005]

     Yeah it's interesting to see a very different take on Tornado as the circumstances in which my Storm/Storm (and other Storm Defender or Corruptor pairings) pulls out Tornado is precisely when I'm facing nasty looking mobs and suspect I will draw lots of aggro or already have.  This is especially true while leveling.

[Ultimo]

I often skip Tornado too, and I'm often inclined to skip Steamy Mist because it makes my charcter transparent (which I don't like)... but it's too useful to skip.  The main issue is that I can't run it because of endurance issues.

 

Having played the set for a while now, I'm still quite impressed by it's general look.  Utility is decent, but the powers are a little goofy looking without Storm Cell active.  I'm almost tempted to skip everything but the lightning powers and Storm Cell.

 

I think if I had been designing the set, I would have made things a little differently... Storm Cell would be the FIRST power in the set, and would be a toggle, or a permanent pet (it seems to behave like a large pet, as it is).  The other powers would be a little more visually interesting.  A shower of hail in a tiny area just looks silly.  Same with the Cloudburst, a tiny cloud spewing a huge amount of water...  Not sure what I would have done with them, but something more visually interesting.  I would also have had the powers interact with Storm Cell differently.  Gust might convert to an AOE.  Direct Strike might also cause a thunderclap, stunning foes in an area... and so on.  As it is, everything just seems to conjure some lightning... which is fine, but not as interesting.

 

In any case, I AM enjoying the set so far... I feel like it's at LEAST as good as the Electric Blast I'd been using.

[KC4800]

20 hours ago, Ultimo said:

I often skip Tornado too, and I'm often inclined to skip Steamy Mist because it makes my charcter transparent (which I don't like)... but it's too useful to skip.  The main issue is that I can't run it because of endurance issues.

I was thinking of picking up SM at 35 so I can 6 slot it with enough endrdx to run it on occasion. Swap the endrdx with Hami-O's at 50. It probably is a useful power, but it needs slots due to its massive starting endurance.

[StrawberryWitch]

On 8/11/2023 at 10:27 AM, SeraphimKensai said:

 

I have a max level storm/storm defender myself and I'll agree there's a lot of powers that look good, but how did you come to skip Steamy Mist and Tornado? Steamy mist has great utility and increases defense and resistances. Tornado just does a ton of damage.

Do you happen to have your build? I just made a storm/storm def and need an example to look at 😅😅

[SeraphimKensai]

47 minutes ago, StrawberryWitch said:

Do you happen to have your build? I just made a storm/storm def and need an example to look at 😅😅

I typically don't publicly release my builds, but I'm willing to work with you and review your proposed build in relation to the goals you set for yourself and see if there's ways to be meet those goals or be more efficient in doing so.

 

The whole feed a man for a day vs the teach them to fish maxim.

[victusfate]

I've got a storm/storm corruptor and they are pretty rad. Lots of triggered lightning bolts fire off as I spam away offensive powers + their aim which boosts triggered bolts.

 

I think stat wise the storm set falls behind the efficiency of other nukes due to its build up/slower nature. But it feels good on my corruptor.