My -/Time Thinking

[tidge]

I got the Energy Blast/Time Manipulation Corruptor to level 50, and so it got the level 50 respec/Purples/Superiors/Boosts, The character itself has some peculiar compromises made for concept, so I just wanted to post my thoughts on the Time Manipulation secondary. I did far more franken-slotting than usual for this character; I'm sharing where I landed to listen to any feedback folks may have.

 

Level 1:        Time Crawl    
 (A) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Endurance
 (*) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Slow
 (*) Ice Mistral’s Torment - Chance for Damage (Cold)
 (*) Impeded Swiftness - Chance for Damage (Smashing)

 

Nothing super-clever here, except that Accuracy is always a priority, then Endurance and I don't mind leaning into the single-target Slow. The %damage is reliable on cast. The set bonus is a freebie, and I felt this was the best option. This needs to hit, not just for %damage but especially for maximum synergy with Slowed Response's debuffs.

 

Level 4:        Time's Juncture    
 (A) HamiO:Enzyme Exposure (Endurance/Defense Debuff/ToHit Debuff): Level 53
 (*) HamiO:Enzyme Exposure (Endurance/Defense Debuff/ToHit Debuff): Level 53

 

The Hami-Os are strictly for a marginal improvement in Endurance cost and ToHit debuff. Level 50+5 Dampened Spirits and Dark Watcher's Despair (both Endurance/ToHit debuff) are almost as good. I find this to be a good toggle when facing large spawns, and that it doesn't de-toggle when mezzed is nice. I'll use it when scouring indoor maps for hidden mobs!

 

Level 6:        Temporal Mending    
 (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance

 

This is typical slotting for me. This heal doesn't really need to be taken so early in a build IMO, but level 6 is where I felt it fit. I definitely wanted the healing for low-level TF/SF. FWIW: I didn't slot this until late in the build.

 

Skipped: Temporal Selection. I had it while leveling, and I felt like it improved some of my PUGmates, but frankly teammates are unpredictable enough and I am never entirely sure if they notice they have a buff on them... or that buffs eventually expire. A more team-friendly build should probably have it. If I didn't have LotG mules at levels 47 and 49,  I'd probably make it the Level 49 power pick for level 45+/Incarnate content.

 

Level 16:    Distortion Field    
 (A) Pacing of the Turtle – Endurance/Recharge/Slow: Level 50+5
 (*) Superior Entomb - Endurance/Recharge

 

I played around with this power trying to make it %damage-friendly whjle leveling, Including mixed Accuracy slotting and the PVP Gladiator's Net %damage (a high-rate %proc)... and because it is a pseudo-pet this was terrible. The power can take a LOT of %damage pieces, but the rates are horrible. Dropping the %proc idea let me lean hard into Endurance reduction and Recharge time with a modicum of Slow.

 

Level 18:    Aim    (from Primary)
 (A) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Chance for Build Up
 (*) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

I'm including this power in the discussion of the secondary to provide some extra context for that second IO Recharge 50+5 choice. I try to have an Aim/Build Up power available pretty much whenever I have a Snipe. I will come back to this...

 

Level 20:    Time Stop    
 (A) Gladiator's Net - Accuracy/Hold: Level 50+5
 (*) Gladiator's Net - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 50+5
 (*) Gladiator's Net - Chance for Damage (Lethal)
 (*) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Damage (Smashing)
 (*) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance for Damage (Psionic)
 (*) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance for Damage (Psionic)

 

This is my typical slotting for single-target holds that I also want to do damage. I feel that I almost always get more mileage from the +MaxEnd bonus from Gladiator's Net than I would for any other 3-piece Hold set bonus. While leveling, I had the Lockdown %+2 Magnitude piece in this power, but against high-con enemies the effect when it triggers (and it reliably triggers) doesn't last long enough to make a difference IMO. I like the Hold as much as I like the %damage. I wouldn't judge anyone for using the Entomb %+Absorb piece here. I don't think the Recharge portion of the %Absorb proc will hurt %proc rates that much (I write, based on slotting on another character)

 

Level 24:    Farsight    
 (A) Luck of the Gambler - Recharge Speed
 (*) HamiO:Membrane Exposure (Endurance/ToHit Buff/Defense Buff): Level 53
 (*) HamiO:Membrane Exposure (Endurance/ToHit Buff/Defense Buff): Level 53
 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - To Hit Buff/Endurance
 (*) Gaussian's Synchronized Fire-Control - Recharge/Endurance

 

This slotting is a brutal assault on Enhancement Diversification; I make no apologies. The Gaussian's pieces are attuned for the travel speed bonus. My attitude to Aim (see above) is to have that %Build Up be available as often as possible, and I don't really need any other enhancement bonuses when it triggers... so the %BuildUp proc is elsewhere. See further comments at end regarding my choices around ToHit buffs. Frankly: the most challenging element of Farsight is getting as many teammates in the 25' radius as possible.

 

Level 28:    Slowed Response    
 (A) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Shield Breaker - Chance for Damage (Lethal)
 (*) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Damage (Negative Energy)

 

This is a reliable Resistance debuff that I want available as often as possible, with the added benefit that it reliably dishes slightly off-brand damage types over a large AoE. As a 25' targeted AoE, this is a good source of extra %damage on top of the debuffs. The Analyze Weakness pieces are boosted not catalyzed; I can live without the Regeneration set bonus at lower levels.

 

Level 30:    Chrono Shift    
 (A) Doctored Wounds - Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Panacea - Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Panacea - Heal/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5

 

Originally I had planned three different Healing Endurance/Recharge pieces, but after taking a look at the final values after considering Enhancement Diversification (which is still hitting my choice hard) I felt slipping in some extra Healing wasn't having that much of an effect on Endurance cost or Recharge time. The PVP Panacea set was the obvious choice once I was committed to boosting each enhancement. I have Chrono Shift on auto. If I didn't solo as much as I do and I committed to only highish-level content, I'd pull the 120s Panacea %+Heal/+End piece (currently occupying the second slot in Health) and move it here.

 

This build also includes:

 

Level 32:    Hasten    
 (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50+5
 (*) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Level 38:              Power Boost      (from Soul Mastery Patron pool)

 (A) Recharge Reduction IO: Level 50+5

 

Power Boost is one of the build's "money" powers. Normally for such a utilitarian power I would add a second slot and go for more Recharge reduction, but in practice the single slot of 50+5 leaves it with a timer that is commensurate with both Slowed Response and Farsight to boost those effects. for content where it is available, I use it more often than Aim... because with a +6% ToHit piece in a toggle (for me Hover, but Combat Jumping would work too) I have the Fast Snipe damage boost (IIRC max +22% from +ToHit) available all the time. I could move the Recharge IO from Aim to Power Boost, but as is I leverage the +Damage portion of  %BuildUp on attack powers other than the Snipe. I almost pulled the Kismet piece from the build, but I was doing enough low-level content that I wanted its (fast Snipe) damage boost available via the toggle.

 

A further comment: I really wasn't shooting for perma-Hasten, but the build has it when Chrono Shift is also active. the secondary has enough long-recharge powers that I felt I might as well have Hasten available especially for high-level, large spawn content. Solo I play much more relaxed and rarely use Hasten. I boosted the Recharge in Hasten to 50+5 mostly for harmony, and partially because of enemy Slows. There is very little difference between two 50+4 boosts and two 50+5 boosts, if funds/merits are tight.

Edited July 2, 2023 by tidge
some formatting

[Uun]

I see where you're going and don't have any disagreements with your decisions. Thought I'd share how I approached a few things differently. My primary is Fire, so I was less concerned about slotting %damage.

 

Time Crawl: 1x 50+5 Tempered Readiness Acc/Slow. Not looking for %damage here, so 1 slot does the job.

Time's Juncture: 4x Dark Watcher's Despair. Could have gone with HOs and fewer slots, but also wanted the 4-piece set bonus (5% +recharge).

Distortion Field: 1x Slow IO + 1x Recharge IO. On corruptors I favor enhancing both the -speed and recharge, as corruptor's slow modifier isn't as strong as defenders or controllers. I could have gone for 2x D-Sync Deceleration, but don't think the nominal improvement would be worth the cost. Maybe if their cost comes down.

Time Stop: 4x Basilisk's Gaze. Not looking for %damage and the 4-piece set bonus is 7.5% +recharge.

Farsight: 6x Reactive Defenses. I always use Power Boost with this, so not really concerned about enhancing the +tohit. The 5- and 6-piece set bonuses are very good (3.75% end discount and 8.75% +recharge).

Slowed Response: 3x Analyze Weakness (acc/rech, acc/end/rech, -def/end/rech). I've got the %damage piece on my controller and can confirm that it goes off every time. Next time I respec I'll likely add slots here for procs.

Chrono Shift: 2x 50+5 Recharge IOs. I always use Power Boost with this, which boosts the healing significantly. I don't have Hasten on my corruptor, so I don't have this perma (about 19 seconds down time). My controller with Hasten has both perma Hasten and Chrono Shift.

 

 

 

[Yomo Kimyata]

Dope stuff.  It's always nice to see this kind of rationale.  Uun says it well 

 

31 minutes ago, Uun said:

I see where you're going and don't have any disagreements with your decisions.

 

On 7/2/2023 at 11:36 AM, tidge said:

Level 1:        Time Crawl    
 (A) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Endurance
 (*) Pacing of the Turtle - Accuracy/Slow
 (*) Ice Mistral’s Torment - Chance for Damage (Cold)
 (*) Impeded Swiftness - Chance for Damage (Smashing)

 

I tend to focus more on stats over set bonuses nowadays, so I might +5 lvl 50 PotT as well as +5 lvl 50 Tempered Readiness for whatever stats I'm looking for.  Usually that's A/R but I'm not wasting a D-sync Provocation on this!

 

On 7/2/2023 at 11:36 AM, tidge said:

Level 6:        Temporal Mending    
 (A) Preventive Medicine - Heal/Endurance
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Chance for +Absorb
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Endurance/RechargeTime
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime
 (*) Preventive Medicine - Heal/RechargeTime/Endurance

 

For almost every healing power I use, I'll either use 6 piece PM or 5 piece 50+5 Panacea.  That decision generally comes down to whether I can spare the 6th slot or not (although finding two pieces of PM somewhere is always nice for the proc!)

 

On 7/2/2023 at 11:36 AM, tidge said:

Level 20:    Time Stop    
 (A) Gladiator's Net - Accuracy/Hold: Level 50+5
 (*) Gladiator's Net - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge/Hold: Level 50+5
 (*) Gladiator's Net - Chance for Damage (Lethal)
 (*) Unbreakable Constraint - Chance for Damage (Smashing)
 (*) Ghost Widow's Embrace - Chance for Damage (Psionic)
 (*) Neuronic Shutdown - Chance for Damage (Psionic)

 

I'm all over the place when it comes to ST holds on non-hold ATs.  It's hard to pass up the extra stat value from +5ing the purple set rather than the pvp set.  This is why I love scrapper primary powers with a hold component, where I will slot the purple proc and +5 the A/R.

 

On 7/2/2023 at 11:36 AM, tidge said:

Level 28:    Slowed Response    
 (A) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Analyze Weakness - Accuracy/Endurance/Recharge: Level 50+5
 (*) Shield Breaker - Chance for Damage (Lethal)
 (*) Touch of Lady Grey - Chance for Damage (Negative Energy)

 

It is a very minor thing, but I go with the Shield Breaker lvl 30+5 A/R over the AW lvl 50+5 A/E/R.  I prefer the recovery set bonus over the regeneration set bonus, and you get slightly more A/R (although no E).

 

Yeah, I probably blow too much inf on boosters compared to what it actually gets me, but what else are you gonna spend inf on?!?

[tidge]

Some very reasonable calls on slotting choices. I can definitely see reducing the number of slots used, and the set bonuses are smart. Specific to my Corruptor choices, I feel I can only speak directly to one of these choices:

 

48 minutes ago, Uun said:

Chrono Shift: 2x 50+5 Recharge IOs. I always use Power Boost with this, which boosts the healing significantly. I don't have Hasten on my corruptor, so I don't have this perma (about 19 seconds down time). My controller with Hasten has both perma Hasten and Chrono Shift.

 

Originally, I was going to slot 2x IO Recharge 50+5 in Chrono Shift. As I was leveling (that is: I didn't have the uber set bonuses yet, nor boosters) I was noticing that the base Endurance cost (something like 20 End) was keeping it from firing (either on demand, or on auto), which has a complicated cascading effect on Recovery (and Recharge) and was affecting the Quality-of-Life in a noticeable enough way that I started to investigate Endurance Cost reduction +  Recharge options.

 

This investigation came around the same time I noticed my very bad decision to try to use Distortion Field as an AoE %damage source, so one of the slots that would have been in Distortion Field ended up being re-purposed for Chrono Shift. I ended up doing number-crunching with HO, D-Syncs, power sets, and 3x End/Recharge (at 50+5) was so deep into Enhancement Diversification I went looking at increasing either the Heal or the Recovery.  It came down to Preemptive Optimization (End Mod/Endurance/Recharge) or the second Panacea piece (Healing/Endurance/Recharge). Panacea offered me a 'forever' +2.5% Recovery, so that was the deciding factor. If the +15% Endurance boost was Enhanceable, I very likely would have gone the other way!

 

15 minutes ago, Yomo Kimyata said:

Yeah, I probably blow too much inf on boosters compared to what it actually gets me, but what else are you gonna spend inf on?!?

 

Pretty much ^this^.  Those extra 2 HP of AoE damage at level 50 must be helping, amiright? I have some (economically) wasteful habits that I freely admit to:

• Because of the content I play, the merit-rich characters almost always just merit-buy ATOs for newish characters I like... if I haven't already bought them and low low prices (and can remember which character has bought them). Similarly, the Catalyst supply is deep.
• The level 50 respec cycles between catalyzed and non-catalyzed pieces for SG storage (burning up Catalysts rather than using the market to catalyze)...I'm not sure I have ever bought a Luck of the Gambler!

The one thing I "make" new level 50s do for themselves is buy (via merits) their own boosters. Usually a new level 50 won't have that much Inf on hand, but will have enough merits. Economically wasteful, but it isn't like saving the Inf is doing that much for me. At some point the only thing I am doing with Inf is buying Envenomed Daggers.